Time for harness racing’s night of nights

A BIG couple of days loom for the Mount Gambier Harness Racing Club as its premier event of the year – the Matthews Petroleum Pacing Gold Cup – hits the track.

It all starts with the Gold Cup Eve Calcutta on Friday night, which also sees the 2024 awards presented to the best horses, trainer and drivers from last season.

Then the quality race program, with the Matthews Petroleum Pacing Gold Cup as the jewel in the crown, will run at Greenwald Paceway highlights Saturday night.

Mount Gambier Harness Racing Club president Neil Shepherd was looking forward to both events.

Meals are available at the Mount Gamier RSL from 5,30pm on Friday night ahead of the 2024 Season Awards and the 8pm Calcutta.

That event will also be headlined by popular harness racing identity Paul Campbell, who covers the sport via his own popular social media shows nationwide, with Paul also bringing his skills to Saturday night’s racing with post-race interviews.

“He is very knowledgeable and good to listen to,” Neil said. “He knows a lot about the sport – he’s very good.”

And the club president is also hopeful the racing on Saturday night will be very good as well.

Along with the feature race – the Matthews Petroleum Pacing Gold Cup – there is also the Mount Gambier heat of the South Australian Country Cup, the Blue Lake Classic and the Trotters Cup.

“The quality of racing this weekend will be high,” Neil said.

The president even has some tips for the main event – tipping Jensville, Eastbro Chrissy and Silver Mystique as the top chances to claim the Gold Cup, not just based on their performances in the Gold Cup heats on February 25, but recent racing in Ararat and Terang.

One of the other major highlights of the evening will be the Pony Trots Gold Cup with a record number of entrants competing for the trophy.

Twenty-three drivers and their horses are signed up with heats set to be run prior to the official start of the Saturday night program with the large field made up of 12 Adelaide based drivers, nine locals and two from Victoria.

Always looking to make a night out at the harness racing a family night out, there will be full on course catering, including a coffee machine and the club’s famous steak sandwiches, as well as face painting and on course betting.

Popular Mount Gambier performer Dave Blachut will be providing the soundtrack to the night

Paul Campbell will be joined by Mel Kittle for the post-race wrap ups and interviews.