Cobram Harness Racing Club is gearing up for what is an ‘experimental’ cup meeting this Sunday when a whopping $90,000 in stakemoney will be up for grabs.
The club has gone away from its traditional cup meeting date held between Christmas and new year in the past to stage the meeting in early January for the first time in the modern era.
Club secretary Bob Watson said the date had been changed in hopes of fully utilising the booming tourist activity in the area at this time of the year.
‘‘I did some research and found out from hotels and motels in the area that the Christmas-new year period was not their busiest time, with many families opting to take holidays after the break in early January. That’s the main reason why the date has been changed,’’ Watson said.
Watson said he was disappointed Bendigo Harness Racing Club’s cup meeting had been brought forward from a February timeslot to Saturday night, but he was hopeful it wouldn’t impact greatly on his club’s biggest meeting of the year.
Nominations for the cup meeting closed yesterday with fields to be released at 11.30am today.
The huge program will feature the $30,000 Jim Phillips Memorial Cobram Cup, the $20000 Central Murray Credit Union Group 1 Cobram Trotters Cup and a $10000 heat of the Murray Valley Locksmith Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship.
As usual there will be as much action off the track as on it with a family entertainment field.
Bush band Killing Time will be on board again for its third appearance at the cup and will be looking to have the crowd swaying to the beat of its catchy melodies.
For those wanting to dress to impress, the annual fashions of the field will be taking place with two $50 vouchers donated by Traffik and Shop 221 in Shepparton on offer for Lady of the Day and Miss Cobram Cup.
For the kids wanting to enjoy activities outside of the racing, face painting and a jumping castle can easily be accessed, while a draw will be running for kids under 16, with the lucky winner taking home a scooter.
For the animal lovers in the crowd, Jamie and Kim’s mobile zoo will be present for the first time at the cup with a range of animals on display, such as Millie the wombat, dingo, crocodile, snakes, possums, owls, birds, lizards, frogs and turtles.
For the keen punters there will be no shortage of special options on offer, with a free sweep on the Cobram Pacing Cup available, as well as four $50 TAB vouchers when you enter the draw.
by Courier Cobram