General News
1 November, 2023
Upgrades ready as Harness Racing returns
HARNESS racing will return in Terang from next week as the finishing touches on upgrades are placed.
HARNESS racing will return in Terang from next week as the finishing touches on upgrades are placed.
The Terang Harness Racing Club will host its Melbourne Cup eve races on Monday, November 6, giving patrons their first opportunity to view the new years-in-the-making stabling area.
Club president Evan Savage said he was excited to see crowds return for a night of racing next week.
“We’re looking forward to racing,” he said.
“It’s been a long journey and we’re finally going to get there.
“It’ll be ready for racing and crowds to come back.”
Construction of the $1.7 million upgrade had been slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, price rises in materials and heavy rainfall in October 2022.
However, the club persisted with the support of the wider racing community and the patience is beginning to pay off.
Mr Savage said those who have seen the new stables have been in awe, walking down a short, unassuming passage way which opens to the indoor structure spanning 118-metres in length and more than 20 metres in width.
The facility can stable 100 horses and is equipped with wash bays, a viewing area, veterinary room and swabbing facilities.
“We’ve introduced the new stables that are Menangle-type stables, which is believed to be the best in Australia,” he said.
“They’re different to normal stables because the horse is hobbled up from behind and the sulky gets put on from behind, so you drive the horse out of the stable rather than the other way of bringing the horse out first and putting the sulky on from outside.
“Everyone who has seen the Menangle stables said they were the best model for stables, so we’ve gone down that track.
“We also going to revamp the community room, which will serve as both a community hub and an emergency fire relief centre.”
Mr Savage said the upgrades to the Terang Harness Racing Club would provide a boost for Terang’s racing scene, helping to make the experience better for patrons and ensuing local events can attract strong racing fields.
“We’re really excited because for people to come here they have to travel a distance; we have our locals, but you need visiting numbers too,” he said.
“They will be able have them undercover and keep them warm rather than having them out in the elements that the western district is renowned for; it will improve the fields and the quality of horses.
“We’ll have 12 races this season, and the Terang Pacing Cup will be run in February next year.
“We still haven’t finished everything but we’re confident we’ll have that ready before the cup.”
Mr Savage said the work would not have been possible without the support of everyone involved, with the club currently planning a grand opening in February to give those behind the scenes the recognition they so richly deserve.
Western District Newspapers will publish full details of the grand opening when arrangements are finalised.
“All of the volunteers have done such a good job of turning up for working bees to get this completed,” he said.
“Our owners, traders and supports group and our members have all turned up, so for those people to show the support they have we’re eternally grateful.
“It feels like everything has cleaned up in no time.
“I hope people will come and have a look at the stables because there has been a lot of hard yards put in there to get it up to that stage.”
Racing action starts next Monday evening from 6pm.
For more information on the upcoming season visit www.teranghr.com.au or www.thetrots.com.au.