It's the biggest day on the Dubbo racing calendar and Derby Day 2014 is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet, according to the man tasked with organising it.
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Wellington Race Club secretary manager Ian Giffin was asked to step in to fill the vacant general manager's role at Dubbo Turf Club after previous GM Mark Day finished up in July.
A search is being carried out for a replacement for Day and they required someone with experience for big meetings to steer the ship for both the Derby Day and Melbourne Cup Day meetings.
"Everything is on track for Derby Day. We have had extra sponsors come on board and all of our marquees are full, we just have to decide if we want to put more marquees up," Giffin said.
"The track has been renovated in the past couple of days and is looking good. Racing NSW have a ground curator for all the clubs and he's given it the thumbs up. He will be coming back soon to have another look at it but he's very happy."
Giffin said he wasn't interested in the role full-time but was happy to help steer the ship until an appointment has been made.
"They are currently going through the process of appointing someone. They have asked for applications and they will go through those and make a decision," he said.
"I've been the secretary manager of Wellington for 10 years and on the board for 30 years. In that time I have served as treasurer and president. The Wellington Boot attracts crowds of 5000-6000 people so I have some experience with these big meetings.
"I'm not interested in the role [full-time]. I'm 73-years-old and I am basically retired. I am happy to look after Wellington but Dubbo is a big job."
A new board has also been appointed for the turf club and they will have their say on the new general manager.
Whoever takes over the role will find the club in good position. Before his departure Day said the club had come a long way.
"When I first came here the club owed $26,000 and everything was being paid off. Now we own two tractors, three ride-on mowers, we've got $90,000 in the bank, $120,000 including investments," Day said in July.
Derby Day will be held on Saturday November 1, with Melbourne Cup Day three days later on Tuesday, November 4.
