THIS weekend’s Murray Downs Golf and Country Club Swan Hill June Racing Carnival is looming large with bumper crowds expected across the three days.
The carnival will feature 24 races, including the 150th running of the Swan Hill Cup, with more than $730,000 prize money up for grabs across the weekend.
Swan Hill Jockey Club officials are expecting more than 10,000 punters to swan their way on course for three days of racing and revelry.
Murray Mallee Racing chief executive Aaron Garvie said the carnival was getting bigger every year.
“We’ve had record crowds the last three years in a row,” he said.
“It’s been building every year. Based on our presales to date, we’ve carried on that momentum.
“Over the three days last year we had just under 10,000 people in. We’re hoping to go that strong again and crack the 10k.”
The first day of the carnival is Friday’s Pooles Accountants Golden Topaz Day.
Highlights among the eight races on Friday include the $100,000 Betfair VOBIS Gold Elvstroem Classic, a 1300m race for two-year-olds with a $30,000 Super VOBIS bonus on offer for an eligible winner.
Prominent Melbourne trainer Mick Price has nominated his highly-fancied colt Prince of Brooklyn for the Elvstroem Classic, a race he won last year with Devon Princess.
Prince of Brooklyn has a single start to his name, a comfortable win in last month’s Group 3 Seven News National Stakes at Morphettville, and is one of three potential Price starters.
Gungastruck and No Pain No Gain have also been nominated.
The feature race of the day will be the $100,000 Pooles Golden Topaz, a 1200m dash for cash which was particularly popular with locals last year.
Don’t Get Excited, a Stephen Theodore-trained son of Elvstroem, has been nominated to defend his 2014 Golden Topaz win.
The Swan Hill-based owners certainly got excited, and the home crowd cheered them on.
“That was a really big thrill for the locals on the Friday last year,” Garvie said.
May’s Dream, from the powerful Darren Weir stable, headlines the rest of the impressive nominations for the Golden Topaz.
The racing takes a backseat on Saturday for Swan Hill Bus Lines Family Fun Day, which will feature free children’s entertainment including a jumping castle and organised games run by Kelly Sports.
Young fashionistas can strut their stuff in the Mint Soda Junior Fashions on the Field, with categories for boys, girls and best headwear.
The carnival culminates on Sunday with Murray Downs Swan Hill Cup Day and the $100,000 titular feature race.
Don’t miss The Guardian’s special 16 page wrap-around feature in this Friday’s paper (June 5).
