Super Saturday on the Coast rides again

THE second Super Saturday on the Coast has been run and won, with a crowd again gathering at Geelong Racing Club for a day of racing and family-friendly fun.

The 2025 edition was the track’s first metro-grade race meeting and also presented a range of family and community-based activities, such as a free children’s zone including carnival rides, petting zoo, water park, pony rides and Kelly Sports Activities.

Live entertainment and the Piccadilly Makers Market was also on offer.

Geelong Racing Club chief executive officer Luke Rayner said the day went well, though hot conditions kept attendance numbers down.
“We’ve had really positive feedback and great racing.

“We had the heat so there’s no doubt that was a deterrent for many, but obviously we can’t control that.

“But for the people who were on course, it was really positive.

“We’re going to have to hope the stars align weather-wise for us year on year to attract that big crowd.”

He said the family and community-based activities were again a highlight.

“People were saying it’s the best free kids’ entertainment they’d ever seen at a racetrack.

“The kids had an absolute ball. The water-based activities were a hit and the free giveaway bags included a water pistol, so they were in heaven.”

As part of its Community Cup initiative, the Geelong Racing Club sold bundles of 20 tickets to sporting clubs and community groups for $500, which included a reserved spot on the lawn, a dedicated umbrella, tables and chairs for the group.

Each bundle had a chance – limited to a maximum of 16 – to be drawn and randomly allocated to a horse in the feature race and share in a $40,000 cash prize pool.

Mr Rayner said separate entries from the Grovedale Football Club and Grovedale Netball Club won a combined $25,000 on the day, which would be a “massive windfall” for them.

“We had 28 entries in the end, which was terrific.

“We’re going to probably look to tinker with the format next year to spread the prize money more evenly over more races and have everyone involved.”

He said Super Saturday on the Coast would definitely be back in 2025, with the Geelong Racing Club aiming to eventually grow the event into a staple for the community over the summer holiday period.