9 December, 2002
Shepparton's
big night of the year will see the $20,000 Carlton Draught Gold Cup staged at
Kialla Paceway on Friday night, 20 December. It will be harness racing at its
best in Victoria?s famed Goulburn Valley, the state?s ?breeding? capital.
The Gold Cup, first run in 1956
boasts an impressive honour roll, with the likes of Maestro?s Melody, Raiarmagh
Pool, Bold David, Tara Meadow, Deep Court, Just Too Good, Popular Alm, Country
Duke and multiple winners in Royal Gaze, Game Oro, Quite Famous. Wally Walton
was victorious for Matthew Gath in 2000 and last year it was the ?local? queen,
Tailamade Lombo?s memorable win for Jayne Davies and Chris Alford and
Australia?s leading owner Mick Lombardo.
Last year the Club broke with tradition and changed the Cup
to a mobile event. It proved a success and the now $20,000 feature (an increase
of $5,000 in stakes from last season) is a valuable mobile free-for-all races
for the open class pacers.
With the race hot on the heels of
the Sydney features of the Miracle Mile, Ben Hur and Treuer Memorial, the
Shepparton Gold Cup is an ideal lead-up for the open class pacers to the big
interstate carnivals that are in the early new year.
The Gold Cup has a Cup and inscribed
rug for the winning owner/s, trophy to the winning driver and the winning
trainer goes home with a $6,500 Strathbogie Double Horse Float.
All races on the night are a minimum
of $6,000 in stakes. Other feature races are the $7,000 Carlton Draught
Goulburn Valley Trotters? Marathon, over 3130m, for the ?T1 class and better?
trotters (10 metres per class) and the annual $6,000 Purdeys Sapphire Stakes,
for the ?C1-C5? class mares, with an attractive pendant for the winning
owner/s. The full program is in the current Harness Racer.
?
The Club has programmed a big night
for the on-course patrons.
The children are covered with the
popular Camp Australia activities, Virtual Reality, the popular Pony Trot races
and a strong local Little Athletics Promotion. The man in the big red suit will
be there, Santa Claus, giving away lollies to the children.? Two lucky children on-course will win a new
bike, just in time for Christmas.
With Harness Racing Victoria?s new
big Marquee in action, the local Solar City Country Music Club will provide
music for the night, with ample seating, a BBQ and cash bar and a dance floor
for the fleet footed to dance the night away.
Our recently introduced on-course
?Pick the Winner? competition, with a coupon in each racebook to pick the
winners of races 3 to 7, has jackpotted to $400 on the night.
Dining, bookmakers, tote and full
bar facilities are available in the enclosed dining area.? Don't forget that we have dining packages
($25 all inclusive) available in the dining room for groups, so why not get a
group together of your friends or from your work?s social club.
All enquiries about the night can be
directed to Peter Collier on the number below. For any interstate trainers
wishing to come to Shepparton, please give us a call and we can arrange
stabling, either on-course at our training complex or with one of the local
trainers.?
Contact:? Peter Collier, Secretary/Manager Shepparton
Harness Racing Club
Phone:?? (03) 58 231 403
