Christmas races pull the crowds

By David Nagel
CRANBOURNE is racing again this Saturday with the first of four Christmas Celebration race days and racing club CEO Neil Bainbridge says the Christmas carnival is now one of the most popular times of the year.
“At the country tracks the Christmas carnival really is rivalling the spring carnival,” Bainbridge said.
“Companies and communities are getting behind the concept, there’s a lot of work break-ups taking place, things are going gangbusters at this time of the year.”
The Christmas Celebration race days will continue on Saturday 3 and 17 December and then finish off on Friday 23 December.
The Cranbourne Turf Club started a busy schedule last Friday, hosting the first of six twilight meetings leading through to the launch of night racing on 9 March next year.
Club vice-chairman Geoff Whiffin said the twilight experience was another step in the club’s progression towards night racing.
“We definitely are progressing, we won the Victorian Country Racing Club of the Year award and now we’re going through the steps of twilight racing and then onto night racing,” Whiffin said.
“It’s very exciting times, as you can see the light towers have been installed and it’s now just a matter of going through the testing process.
“Everything will be in readiness come March next year.”
Santa will make an appearance at all four Christmas meetings and there will be plenty of entertainment around the course.
Contact the club for more details.