Following a great start to the racing season, the Ceduna Racing Club is looking forward to the staging of the Ceduna Foreshore Hotel Ceduna Cup in January.
The second meet in the West Coast racing season, the Ceduna Cup will be a six-race outing and also feature the usual trackside fun.
Having opened with a great Ceduna Christmas Races event earlier this month, club president Bruce Zippel is excited for the upcoming Ceduna Cup.
“We were delighted with the crowd there on the day,” he said.
“It was a very good start to the season, an overwhelming success for the horse racing with outstanding fields, great racing and a fascinating result for the Thevenard Cup – the crowd thoroughly enjoyed it.
“We are hoping for great fields again.”
This year’s Ceduna Cup will take place on Saturday, January 28, which is later in the month than in past years.
Bruce said this would help with preparation of the event and provided the opportunity for an Australia Day weekend in the town.
“We are saying to people to take that extra day and have an extra-long weekend in Ceduna,” he said.
“The club was always looking at pushing the race back as it is difficult in early to mid-January to hold a race day with the nature of the holiday season locally. By pushing it back, everyone should be finished holidays and back at work and it makes it easier.
“When Penong decided to go back to a March date, it gave us a chance to move our date.”
On Friday, January 27, the Ceduna Foreshore Hotel will host a pre-cup party, which replaces the traditional Calcutta event.
Bruce said they would be “trying something different” with the party, which will cost $45 per person and involve cocktail style food in a relaxed atmosphere, with live music.
John Letts will host on Friday night and Saturday, where the main marquee will return following the Christmas Races, plus TAB betting facilities.
Fashions on the Field will see a $500 prize for the winning lady and $300 for the best dressed man, with the inflatable T-Rex race to follow the final race of the day, then live music courtesy of the Regulars.
It will also be the second leg of the Bushy Trenowden Apprentice Series, with a prize sponsored by MGA Insurance for the leading apprentice jockey over the two Ceduna meets.
Bruce said the Ceduna Cup would also be professionally live streamed by OnEyre Media.
“The live streaming is proving to be popular and people who can’t make the races can still watch it live,” he said.
Gates open at 11am, with adult tickets $20. Tickets can be purchased at the gate.
Visit the Ceduna Racing Club Facebook page for more information.
