Cobram fights for its survival

The popular Cobram Harness Racing Club which is staging its Cup Carnival this Sunday is determined to keep going despite the reduction to just one meeting a year from 2026.

Club Secretary Adam Rudd put it this way:

We used to have 11 meetings per year and then two and a half years ago we were reduced to two meetings. After meeting with the Minister we were able to regain our six meetings. However recently we were informed by Harness Racing Victoria that as part of the centralisation and cost cutting exercise we would only be eligible to have one meeting per year.

It’s been shattering to everyone associated with the Club.

With only one meeting we have now lost all of our sponsors. The canteen which was run by the local Lions Club pulled the pin when they found out we were only going to have one meeting.

We used to run trials fortnightly but now its monthly. We have no trouble getting numbers for trials sometimes up to 30 horses will compete.

Cobram is one of the State’s leading tourist destinations with its prime Murray River location. They have excellent facilities and trainers and drivers are complimentary in their praise of the spacious 1008 metres circuit comprised of granite sand.

Rudd added:

As the major venue of the Goulburn Valley Shepparton is the main track running on Tuesdays and we don’t have lights. There are three of us who use the track to train (Adam and Don Rudd and Linton Power).

At least with having trials we’re able to use our equipment and operating facilities so that they are in working order for our race day.

The reduced schedule of meetings has been a prolonged process and has been unsettling to everyone.

Rudd pointed out that the Club is financial but added

We’re not going to give all our money just to run one meeting a year.

Only a few years ago the Cobram Pacing Cup was worth $35,000 and the Trotters Cup $25,000 however for this Sunday these races are worth just $15,000 and $10,000 respectively.

The club is making every effort to achieve a successful day on Sunday.

With Sunday falling in peak holiday times, the Club is expecting a strong turn out from the public.

Dining packages have already sold out but the public is encouraged to bring a picnic with umbrellas available and jumping castles and water slides for the children. as well as on site food vans. The club prides itself on being a family friendly destination especially over the holiday period.

Regarding this Sunday’s meeting the highlight will be the Cobram Pacing Cup that has drawn together an open field. Leeton based trainer Jackson Painting will be running his smart pacer La Cavalleta against the likes of I’m All Business.

The Trotters cup will see master trotting trainer Brent Lilley with three runners including the main prospects Frosty Girl and El Conqueror pitted against Rudd’s last start winner Bennie And The Jets and the well performed Kings Guard who will come off 40 metres.

The first of the nine event programme will commence at 1.24pm.

Despite the challenges of maintaining ongoing operations at Cobram, Rudd is still hopeful for the future.

Clubs like Shepparton that race weekly will need to have a break for maintenance and its where we might be able to get some more meetings.

Certainly on the basis of its prime location and popularity with trainers and drivers, Cobram is entitled to remain a part of Harness Racing in Victoria.

by Tony Milanese, for Harnesslink