Everything’s on track for a stellar night at Terang this Saturday, when the Terang Co-Op Pacing Cup will bring together a trots-loving community.
A nine-race card boasts competitive pacing and trotting cups and dips its lid to stalwarts who have given so much to the club.
Terang Harness Racing Club racing manager Diane O’Keeffe said the showcase night was “all about the racing”, but with a lot of “other activities that come along with it”.
Nine horses have entered for the $30,000 Group 3 cup, including local hopes Desdon Murruffy and Sirladyn Reba for Matt Craven’s stable and last-start winner Looks Like Heaven, who is trained and driven by Terang mother-and-son team Marg and Jason Lee.
“It is really good to have a competitive cup, which will mean that interest will be high among the fans as well as the participants,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“All nine races are features on cup night. They are of special importance because they are named in honour of people who have had very big impacts in the past.”
They include the Pat Bellman Memorial 3YO Pace, the Bernie Clarke Memorial Pace Final, the Neville and Patsy Clarke Memorial Pace and the Harry Whiting Memorial Silver Plate, which run in addition to the 9.40pm pacing cup and 8.40pm Barastoc Terang Trotters Cup.
And amid all the on-track fun is a cavalcade of off-course activities.
“There will be a lot of children’s activities, including clowns, face painting, sumo suits and the trots interactive,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“There will also be a mechanical bucking bull, which is great for people of all ages, live jazz music by Warrnambool musicians Richard Tankard and Matt Hewson, and the South Western Restoration Group will display vintage car engines.”
And at Terang, even those who have had a loss can get back on the horse with a big win.
“We have six $500 TAB betting vouchers which will be given away through random draws,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“If you have a losing ticket from the first three races, put your name and number on the back of the ticket, put it in the draw and you stand a chance to win one of the vouchers, which must be used on-course that night.”
The ever-popular pony trots will feature after races one and three, bookmaker Tom Hogan will be on-course so punters can ‘Take On Tom’ and after race four the Celebrity Drivers Charity Challenge will be held.
Sponsored by Troy Bourke of South West Horse Transport, the challenge will see $500 given to Cystic Fibrosis Victoria after Coast FM presenters and premiership coaches Adam Dowie (Koroit) and Shane Quick (Neranda) compete in a double-seater sulky race.
It’s a fun night out that Ms O’Keeffe said would come as welcome relief for a region under stress.
“This area has suffered by the dairy downturn and this is a chance for people to come out with their families and have a good night out,” she said. “Children can get in for free and enjoy the free entertainment and have a great night out without a big hit on their hip pocket.”
