For years crowds have flocked to the showground as a way to unwind after a busy Christmas, and with so many people returning to Dubbo for the festive season it is expected a large attendance will be the order of the day again this year.

With the Bathurst club conducting its Shirley Turnbull Memorial meeting on the same night, many of the eastern trainers and drivers punters have become accustomed to seeing at Dubbo will miss the meeting, but there are still five good races on the program drawing competitors from far and wide.

A gallops meeting at Wellington and greyhounds at Dubbo will combine with the harness meeting to make it a big day of racing, and the 7.45pm starting time means patrons can attend one of the earlier meetings before heading to the trots.

The best race on the program should be the Oamps Dubbo Pace (2120m), which is scheduled for 9.35pm.

A number of in-form pacers will line up in the event, including last start winner Koloura Bob (Bruce McKinnon) and the consistent Bluechipboy (Michael Carroll), An Ace To Keep (Mick Pay), Major Orders (James Sutton) and Josam Bay (Amanda O'Neill).

Also in the race will be the old-timer Sunofbula, which gave young driver Nathan Carroll his first winner when successful at Tamworth four starts back.

Since then he has finished second on two occasions before a last-start fifth behind My Dandy in much tougher company at Bathurst.

On that occasion trainer Michael Carroll was in the sulky but on Wednesday his son returns and will look to keep up an impeccable record that has seen him record a win and two placings from three drives on the 12-year-old.

FIELDS, SELECTIONS: Page 21