DUBBO Harness Racing Club's exciting $200,000 month of racing will get under way on Saturday night.
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Punters have endured a drought of racing in recent times, but all that will change with four meetings ending at the Dubbo Show on Sunday afternoon, May 25.
Club president Jeff Costello, secretary Marge Bradley and the board of directors are bracing themselves for what they hope will rekindle interest in what has traditionally been one of Dubbo's most popular sporting industries.
"Because of programming we don't have consistent racing throughout the year like we have had in the past, but we hope during the next four weeks we will have the showground grandstand full and punters wanting to get the best prices on offer," harness racing club board member Lester Hoy said.
"I don't think we've ever had so much prize money on offer at our meetings and at the Dubbo Show meeting alone, there will be more than $100,000 being paid out in the finals.
"There will also be another $20,000 in trophies, so we expect to see some of the leading stables in country NSW being represented and some good horses going around."
Hoy said the $30,000 Red Ochre Mares Classic final was one race creating a lot of interest.
"Brett Wrigley has done a wonderful job building up this race over a number of years and to have the Dubbo club's first Group 3 race stature this year is testimony to his work," Hoy said.
"Heats of the Red Ochre are set down for decision at our Wednesday meeting on May 21.
"To showcase a Group 3 race in front of what should be a huge Dubbo Show crowd will be a big attraction and our chance to showcase the harness racing industry at its best.
"The last time we held a harness meeting in conjunction with the Dubbo Show we had a huge following right around the track. I don't expect it be any different this time."
The added bonus for patrons will be the updated showground grandstand, which now has new seating.
The Dubbo Harness Racing Club will have its canteen operating at all four meetings, as well as the three days of the Dubbo Show.
And there is an added bonus on May 25 with country music's Adam Brand performing a concert between races in front of the grandstand.
Brand is an ambassador for Harness Racing NSW and is performing at all its Carnival of Cups meetings throughout the state.
With a long weekend holiday on offer, this Saturday's first harness meeting will be an ideal one for patrons to see the horses go around under the ribbon of light.
Fields for the meeting will be released today.
Then we will be at the same venue on Saturday night, May 10 for heats of the Club Dubbo Golden Gig and Western Districts Harness Racing Association C1/C3 heats.
The Wednesday, May 21 meeting will be a nice lead-in to the finals at the show, with heats of the Breeders Challenge 2YO fillies; and colts and geldings; plus the Red Ochre Mares Classic heats and OAMPS C1/C2 heats.
The Dubbo Show afternoon meeting on Sunday May 25 will wrap up with finals, as well as the $12,000 Peter Lew Memorial Pace; the Karloo Mick Gratuity Pace worth $8000 and the Dubbo Show Society President's Cup, a race worth $8000 plus a rug and trophy.