Community
7 November, 2024
Dalvui Raceway set to celebrate 75 years
THE Terang Harness Racing Club is preparing to celebrate the historic 75th year of Dalvui Raceway – a track which has symbolised innovation, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of racing excellence which has put Terang on the map.
The Terang Harness Racing Club will celebrate the milestone at a special dinner on Tuesday, November 19 at the Dalvui Raceway from 6.30pm to reflect on the unique history the track has played in ensuring Terang has been a heartland for harness racing.
Terang Harness Racing Club life member Tony Heffernan, a former club president, said the club and Dalvui Raceway had been prominent in the early formations of Victorian harness racing.
“Terang was the first club to start up after the second World War, because harness racing had stopped during the war,” he said.
“They were the first club in Victoria to set up after the war, and conducted meetings at the Terang Racecourse.
“In 1949 the club moved to Dalvui Lane, becoming the first club in Victoria to have their own headquarters.
“The club was led in those days by Dan O’Grady, Kevin Ryan and Jim Farrell.”
Terang Harness Racing Club was itself formed in 1912, following a meeting of enthusiasts at O’Hagen’s Hotel in Terang.
After unanimous support for formation was indicated, a 12-man committee was established and within three months racing began at Terang Racecourse.
The arrangements between the two very different styles of racing began to dissolve in 1948, with Mr O’Grady and Mr Ryan feeling trots enthusiasts were treated poorly.
This led to a resolution for the club to seek a location for its own track.
Mr O’Grady was drawn to a familiar location – a paddock out at Dalvui where he trained.
“In 1949, when they moved from the racecourse, they moved to where my father trained horses,” Mr Heffernan said.
“I grew up next door to the trotting track.”
Mr Heffernan said his father, who had owned the site along side his brother, had sold the site to the club at “favourable rates” and construction soon began on establishing the half-mile track.
Now with a headquarters and track, the Terang Harness Racing Club would grow from strength-to-strength.
In 1954, the track surface received a significant upgrade to sand and the following year modern lighting was installed, with Terang again trailblazing innovation in harness racing by becoming the first exclusively owned harness racing course to install a modern lighting system.
“The first night meeting was held, with a crowd of around 10,000 in attendance,” Mr Heffernan said.
“It was an amazing event for the times.”
While the facilities grew along with local interest in the trots, so too did Terang’s prominence as a training community.
This is none more highlighted than the success of the Leo O’Connor-trained Gammalite.
Gammalite became the first standardbred horse in Australia to win $1 million in total prize money, saluting 94 times in 179 starts and taking back-to-back Inter Dominion Pacing Championship wins in 1983 and 1984.
Terang has produced or hosted among the best in the industry – from trainers to drivers and the horses leading the way.
“(Gammalite’s success) was a great thing for the local industry,” Mr Heffernan said.
“Some of the leading drivers in that era were Bernie Clarke, Basil Brock, Bill Davis, Harry Bayne and Neville Clarke.
“Horses included Inter Dominion winner Gentleman John, Blacks A Fake, Gammalite and Miracle Mile winner Sokyola.
“Terang has played a major role in harness racing.”
In the years following the opening of Dalvui Raceway, the industry in Terang experienced a golden era.
“Back in the 60s and 70s were the halcyon days for harness racing, with a lot of support from the Heytesbury area led by Jim O’Keffee and Joe Lawler,” Mr Heffernan said.
“A lot of farmers were involved in harness racing in that era.
“It’s been a very important thing for Terang.
“I feel between racing and harness racing, it’s put Terang on the map.”
Dalvui Raceway has shown no signs of slowing down, between 2021 and 2024 constructing a $2.2 million facilities upgrade which is primed to lead local racing well in to the future.
“Nowadays, the Craven/Lee combination are playing a major role in harness racing,” Mr Heffernan said.
“It’s a magnificent facility – there’s no better track.
“The new pavilion for the horses is outstanding.
“There’s difficult times ahead for harness racing, it’s very competitive with gallops, harness racing and dogs but we’re just hopeful in the future we can just keep on improving.”
Tickets to the 75th anniversary dinner ($50) are available.
For booking call 0408 055 155.
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