Ballan saddles up for exciting cup day

BALLAN Jockey Club (BJC) is promising a celebration of everything that makes the town, region and racing club truly special at this weekend’s Ballan Cup race meeting on Saturday 8 November at Geelong.

BJC manager Emma Muir said everything was pointing to another great day of entertainment, socialising and racing for what is one of the biggest days of the year on Ballan’s social calendar.

“It’s a great day out and a real community day, with lots of groups and people getting involved,” she said.

“We try and encourage as many regional people as possible to come and join us locals.

“We already know that we have people coming from Inverloch, Shepparton, Warrnambool, Hamilton and Horsham.

“They come to Geelong, book tables or marquees and make a weekend of it.”

The club is anticipating a big crowd, with buses running to Geelong from Ballan, Bacchus Marsh and Ballarat.

Muir is further buoyed by the strong interest in race day hospitality packages, with only a sprinkling of spots still unsold.

“We’ve booked out quite a few things; our dining packages, our marquees, but we’ve still got a few spots on The Promenade, and only a few bookings left in The Good Sports Lounge,” she said.

“I’m hoping they are booked out by the weekend.

 

“There is a lot of support from the community, a great uptake of membership and good general admission (sales).”

Coinciding with Champions Stakes Day at Flemington, the fourth and final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Ballan Cup racegoers can look forward to eight races, with the highlight the $40,000 main Cup event over 1500m.

Won last year by the Cliff Brown-trained Place Of Gold, the honour roll of recent winners includes a who’s who of the training ranks headed by Ciaron Maher, Ben, Will and JD Hayes, Phillip Stokes, David Brideoake, Michael Moroney and Danny O’Brien.

The club has secured Ballarat trainer Matt Cumani, who saddled up the third placegetter Deal Done Fast in last Saturday’s Group 1 Victoria Derby, as a guest speaker in The Good Sports Lounge.

Always popular, Fashions on the Field promises to be every bit as competitive as the on-track action, with winners to be crowned in the best dressed, best suited, best millinery and best dressed junior girl and boy categories.

A big lineup of entertainment includes live bands and plenty of children’s activities. The Ballan Autumn Festival will run the major raffle.

General admission is $20, or racegoers can choose to purchase a club membership for the same price.

The Ballan Jockey Club is in Muir’s blood.

In her first year as the club’s manager, following a stint on the committee, she is the third generation of her family to lead the racing club.

Her father John Molesworth was a former club president; so too was her grandfather Bob Molesworth, also a club life member.

“Someone once said I was destined to do this job, but I told them I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she quipped.

“But no, I actually love it.

“It’s just a fantastic community event – so social – and we are so lucky to get so much support from the Ballan people. You can’t beat country racing.”

Muir is hoping to have the weather gods on side after last month’s Geelong Cup meeting was cancelled after three races due to dangerous winds, with the remaining races run the following day.

“That was very disappointing for the (Geelong) club, so we are praying for no rain, plenty of sunshine and no wind,” she said.

For further Ballan Cup Day information, visit country.racing.com/ballan.

*The fields for Saturday’s meeting were not finalised before the Moorabool News went to print.