THERE’S party groups lined up around the corner trying to get a foothold at the first race meeting of the season at Woolamai this Saturday, December 10.
It’s all the more pressing because wet weather, a wet track and the lateness of the spring in Bass Coast and South Gippsland forced the Woolamai and District Racing Club to abandon the first scheduled meeting of the year on Sunday, November 27.
It would have been the ideal place for Victorian Labor supporters to taste some ‘hair of the dog’ for their election hangover.
But it wasn’t to be and the Woolamai committee is on tenterhooks waiting to see what the verdict will be, when there’s a track inspection there on Tuesday this week to determine if the Saturday, December 10 meeting will go ahead.
“We got some nice weather late last week, but unfortunately there’s a bit of wet weather around this week that might raise the moisture levels again,” said Woolamai Racing Club Secretary Abby Boyle.
“We’ve already got plenty of bookings and because the meeting has been relocated to us from Healesville, there’s people wanting to come across from there as well, so fingers crossed.”
Ms Boyle said the club simply wanted to get the season started, such is the popularity of one of Victoria’s best picnic race venues, with heavy bookings already in for the big cup meeting on Saturday, January 28.
The club was scheduled to host seven meetings this year but the wet spring has delayed a lot of things; the cricket season, hay & silage and also the races at Woolamai and District.
Stony Creek will get its season underway with the traditional Christmas-New Year meeting on Tuesday, December 27, followed by four other meetings in January (2), February and March.
Race meeting dates
Woolamai & District race meetings:
- Saturday, December 10,
- Saturday, December 31,
- Saturday, January 14,
- Saturday, January 28 (Woolamai Cup),
- Saturday, February 18 and Saturday, April 1.
Stony Creek race meetings:
- Tuesday, December 27,
- Tuesday, January 3,
- Tuesday, January 31,
- Monday, February 13 and
- Sunday, March 12 (Stony Creek Cup).
