Off and racing with the Cranbourne Turf Club

Let’s get the local in! Cranbourne Cup winner King Magnus needs your vote to make the field in the $5million All-Star Mile to be run at Flemington on March 19. 267921 Picture: SCOTT BARBOUR/RACING PHOTOS

There’s been plenty happening at the Cranbourne Turf Club lately.

Our summer racing included Christmas racing, Kids Day Out events and a host of non-raceday events for local businesses and clubs.

We then worked hard on preparing Tricodes – one of the Club’s premier events and a truly unique event on the racing calendar.

Unfortunately it wasn’t to be with the heavens opening up right before race time and stewards declaring that the event couldn’t proceed for safety reasons.

STAR NEWS COMMUNITY RACE DAY

Since that minor setback, with Tricodes, the CTC has set its sights on running a big community event on Friday 11 March to make up for the lost opportunity.

This event follows a seven-week track upgrade and the racing is sure to be hotly contested on an excellent surface.

The Star News Community Race Day will feature free entry for emergency services members and the nursing fraternity. We encourage you to bring your kids along to enjoy FREE kids activities including Pony Rides, Jumping Castle, Chair ‘O’ Plane Ride and Kelly Sports.

To keep the atmosphere lively we’ll also have great live entertainment on the deck for all to enjoy. Tickets are 10 pre-paid, $15 at the gate and kids get in free.

AUTUMN RACING

Once racing returns on Friday 11 March the club will be hosting several events in succession. Our Friday night racing is set to be fun with a series of themed nights being planned to utilise our expansive deck. We will also have an additional marquee in place for patrons to utilise should the weather turn.

It’s a full-on calendar, but the club is thoroughly looking forward to sharing the following events with the community:

15 March (Tues) Harness Night

27 March (Sun) Harness Night

1 April (Fri) Thoroughbred Night

8 April (Fri) Thoroughbred Night

10 April (Sun) Harness Night

22 April (Fri) Thoroughbred Night

24 April (Sun) Harness Night

29 April (Fri) Thoroughbred Night

6 May (Fri) Thoroughbred Night

13 May (Fri) Thoroughbred Night

15 May (Sun) Harness night

20 May (Fri) Thoroughbred Night

27 May (Fri) Thoroughbred Night

JUMPOUTS

You might have noticed the quality of our recent jumpouts?

The likes of Group-1 superstars Sierra Sue, I’m Thunderstruck, and many more high-class thoroughbreds, has been creating a lot of attention on Racing.com and social media feeds.

The Club is delighted to see these jump outs on a Monday progressing from strength to strength and we hope that they may end up being classed as official trials in the near future.

CRANBOURNE TRAINERS

The performance of Cranbourne trainers has been astounding over the last few weeks with the following stats giving an indication on the strength of the local industry.

CTC trainers produced 21 per cent of Victorian starters and trained exactly the same amount of winners.

A total of 31 Cranbourne trainers have entered the winner’s stall, taking home 25 per cent of the prizemoney on offer in Victorian racing.

The quantity is also matched with quality, with three group and listed winners being produced. The star stable of Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace has settled in beautifully at Cranbourne, producing 11 winners in a very short space of time.

VOTE FOR THE KING AND WIN

There are only a few days left to vote for Cranbourne’s home-town hero, King Magnus, in the All-Star Mile. He currently sits thirteenth in the pecking order, with the top ten being granted automatic entry into the iconic event next month.

Like to help our Cranbourne Cup winner and a horse that has captured the local imagination?

Vote for King Magnus and send us your proof via info@cranbourneturfclub.com.au to receive a free membership of the Cranbourne Turf Club for the remainder of the calendar year and entry to the exclusive All-Star Mile celebration marquee at our next event on 11 March.

Here’s the link to how you can vote. Vote (allstarmile.com.au)

THE WATER COOLER

The first Group-1 for the year is this Saturday’s C.F Orr Stakes.

Cranbourne is represented by the Price/Kent team with I’m Thunderstruck, who is looking to make further strides following his successful Spring campaign.

Other horses looking to target the race are the Maher/Eustace trained Lighthouse and Group-1 winner in the Spring – Sierra Sue – for the Busuttin/Young yard.

There were a couple of eye-catching performances at this week’s trials.

HORSES TO FOLLOW

Forgot You – Busuttin/Young’s three-year-old which is being aimed at the Australian Guineas.

King Magnus – Looking to the All-Star Mile.

Profiteer – Price/Kent’s promising three-year-old who won its trial and is being aimed at Black Caviar Lightning in a fortnight’s time.