Sport
24 January, 2025
Harness club hits the ground running with successful Harness the Summer event
The Maryborough Harness Racing Club (MHRC) has heralded the Harness the Summer event a success, with the club hoping to expand the program next year.
With Harness Racing Victoria scheduling race meets for the first three Fridays of 2025 at the MHRC, culminating in the return of the Maryborough Pacing Cup, the club combined the events into a racing and entertainment extravaganza.
The feature races on January 3 and January 10 were qualifiers for the Pacing Cup, with the top five in each heat automatically qualifying for last Friday’s final.
All eyes were on the track when the final field of 12 lined up to start the race.
When it was all said and done, it was Le Twist, owned by Mark Harvey, trained by Emma Stewart and driven by Mark Pitt who claimed the trophy by over 7 metres.
While spectators enjoyed some captivating racing over the three weeks, other entertainment was on offer for all visitors.
Last Friday also coincided with Ladies’ Day, which encouraged patrons to wear a touch of teal to show support for the Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG).
The event raised over $500 for ANZGOG research and their Survivors Teaching Students education program.
Little visitors also had plenty to explore, with jumping castles, mini golf and sweet treats available throughout the event.
Live music and dinner were also available at the end of each race meet, with performances from James Macer, Classic Rewind and Cut Lunch.
According to MHRC function coordinator Kendall McFadyen, the club has received a positive response from spectators, trainers and drivers about the event.
“It’s great to see people from around the community and outside of Maryborough come along and be involved,” she said.
“We attracted some different crowds with the kid’s activities and the live music entertainment and it seemed to be enjoyed by everybody.
“It was received really well by our local harness participants who got involved and did quite well over the three weeks.”
While they have no control over the scheduling for next year, McFadyen said she is hopeful the club has the opportunity to build on the return of the pacing cup and expand the event further.
“It was a great program and it’s something we would like to build on in terms of the entertainment and the whole day experience,” she said.
“Primarily our focus is the harness racing, that is what we are here for, but it’s great to expand our audience and attract new people to the racecourse.”