Goulburn Harness Club’s Carnival of Cups

This Sunday’s Goulburn Harness Racing Club’s annual Carnival of Cups race day honours the memory of Frank and Edna Day, the heads of a large harness racing family in the Goulburn District. It is also a major fundraiser for Goulburn Base Hospital.

Scheduled for the Sunday afternoon on the Australia Day weekend, hospital staff dressed in blue scrubs will collect the entrance fee of $10, while the Goulburn Harness Racing Club will conduct a major raffle with all proceeds going to the hospital.

Debbie Hay, Nurse Manager Perioperative Services explained all funds will go towards the purchase of equipment for the recently introduced service of Urology Surgery.  

“The equipment we purchase will be used for diagnostic purposes including in the treatment of prostate cancer,”  Ms Hay said.  

With the assistance and support of local businesses including Antony & Edwards Real Estate, Sun Solutions, Wilson Plumbing, Homelee Hollow Agistment, and Fife Stockfeeds, the raffle carries a winner take all prize valued well in excess of $500.

Club secretary Mark Croatto explained the Carnival of Cups strategy was developed to create an event in rural areas where the community could be brought together for a great afternoon of entertainment.  In the process, the sport could be promoted to a broader audience.  

Croatto said “The sport gains much from local businesses and the community in general, and doubling our main race meeting of the year as a fundraiser for the hospital is simply the right thing to do”.

Scheduled for Sunday the 28th January, the main race of day will be the $31,800 Group 3 Frank and Edna Day Goulburn Cup.  The race is sponsored by the Goulburn Soldiers Club and is held in memory of Frank and Edna Day.

Frank Day commenced his harness racing career in the 1950s and after moving their growing family to Goulburn in 1969 established a highly successful racing stable.  With high class horses such as Willie rip, Valdas Lad and Come Again, the Day family name was propelled to the heights through the deeds of Miracle Mile winners Friendly Footman and the brilliant but erratic Gundary Flyer.

Frank and Edna’s legacy continues to this day with many of their 10 children and numerous grandchildren heavily involved in the sport.  

On what is the Goulburn Club’s most important race meeting of the year, the club invites all to come along and enjoy what will be a tremendous afternoon of racing action and entertainment.

Performing between the races will be Goulburn’s own Country Rock music artist Jamie Agius, and children will have much to keep them occupied with the TMNT jumping castle, Capital Region mini trots, face painting, balloon twisting and glitter tattoos.

Entry fee to the course is only $10 per adult and every cent of it will be donated to the hospital, so, come out for a great day and know your contribution is going to a great cause     

Goulburn harness racing is brought to fans by the kind support of Tabcorp, Goulburn Soldiers Club, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, ARW Multigroup, Hollingworth Crane Hire Service, RSM Accountants, and a host of smaller businesses including Top Water Carters Crookwell, First National Real Estate Goulburn, Goulburn Livestock Transport, Goulburn Landmark, Albury J Communications, Crust Gourmet Pizza, Glen Mia ACT Saddlery and Ranvet.

For all the latest Goulburn harness racing news visit the club’s website at www.goulburnpaceway.com.au and don’t forget to like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/goulburnpaceway/ 

Mark Croatto

Reprinted with permission of The Goulburn Post