Stage set for Stawell Easter cup day

Stawell Racing Club is set to welcome thousands of patrons on Sunday for its premier meeting, the Stawell Cup.

Operations manager Mark Percival said preparations were well under way.

“We’re shaping up for another fantastic cup meeting,” he said. “We traditionally draw a large crowd. It is weather dependent, but we’re expecting between 3000 and 4000 people.”

Mr Percival said the club’s Easter meeting offered fun for the whole family.

“We have a stack of free children’s activities, from Kelly Sports and an iconic egg and spoon race down the straight to face-painting and a jumping castle,” he said.

“We will also have fantastic musical entertainment from Sando and Lards. They played at our Christmas race meeting and were very well received, so we’ve got them back again.

“They do a cracking rendition of Daryl Braithwaite’s ‘Horses’ which I’m sure will go down well.”

Mr Percival said a fashions on the field competition had drawn great support from Stawell businesses.

“Fashions is always really popular,” he said. “It’s great to see people get dressed up to enjoy their day at the track.”

The meeting will feature eight races, with the first race at 12.30pm and last at 5.15pm.

Mr Percival said the Stawell track was coming along nicely.

“Our track manager said it’s the best it has looked for a cup meeting in some time,” he said.

“It will be a fantastic racing surface.”

People can visit www.countryracing.com for tickets or more information.

The club will run free buses from the racecourse to Stawell Town Hall from 5.30pm.