Mobile start and Christmas cheer at Warragul

Another little slice of harness racing history occurs at Gippsland’s oldest trotting club on Wednesday.

Despite having raced virtually every year since 1939, there has never previously been a race for the trotting horse from behind the mobile barrier start at Warragul Showgrounds.

All previous events have been standing start handicap events, but that will change on Wednesday when a field of seven squaregaiters will take off from behind the mobile car in the second race over 2210 metres.

There had been talk over the years among local enthusiasts of running a “mobile trot” at Warragul, but the opportunity never took off.

These types of races have been run regularly over the years at other tracks, including locally at Cranbourne, and there was even one staged at the former Traralgon trotting track as far back as 1986.

Now Warragul can say it has also played host to such an event.

The regular Trotters Handicap will also still be run on the day, as there were enough entries for both events.

The Traralgon Pacing Cup will be the main race on Wednesday.

The race carries a purse of $10,000, and has attracted a capacity field of 10 starters.

It is staged each year at Warragul to recognise the efforts of past Latrobe Valley trotting enthusiasts, and those who gave their time to the sport in Traralgon when a race club existed there from 1975 to 1995.

Some of the surviving Traralgon stalwarts will be in attendance on Wednesday and a display of trotting memorabilia will also feature on course.

First of eight races on Wednesday is just after 1pm.

Admission is free and Santa will arrive on course at 3:30pm for selfies with the kids, who will also receive free icy poles.

For complete race results, click here.

by Kyle Galley, for Harness Racing Victoria