Forbes will host an additional race meeting this year, on the Australia Day weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Saturday January 25 meeting has been transferred from Parkes due to ongoing drought conditions impacting preparation of the course.
The Forbes Jockey Club is in a position to present a quality track for the meeting, secretary Harvey Elliott says, with the upgrade to a fully automated watering system after the Forbes Cup in August 2019.
"Forbes Jockey Club negotiated a water supply agreement with the Forbes Shire Council which allowed irrigation of the course and present an excellent surface for thoroughbred racing," he said.
"The system installed allows water conservation and saves on manpower as well as being more efficient and effective in production of the required surface."
Mr Elliott says the Parkes and Forbes clubs share a great camaraderie and are united in the promotion of both their towns and thoroughbred racing.
"Forbes Jockey Club were delighted to accept the race meeting when offered by Brian Charman, Executive Officer Racing NSW Country," he said.
"Brian was assured the race meeting would be held on an excellent racing surface."
The race meeting will have full TAB facilities and be broadcast and televised Australia wide as well as internationally.
The Forbes Jockey Club committee is hoping for a large crowd, as well as great support from owners and trainers for good competitive races to attract the punters and allow the Forbes Jockey Club to recover the investment the club will make.
The club has not sought sponsorship of the meeting in these hard, trying times of drought, but would love to work with sponsors who can support the event.
The committee plans to acknowledge our Australian heroic firefighters on the day and hopes their efforts by that time are rewarded with all bushfires in the country extinguished or under control.
A race on the program will be named in recognition of their amazing courage and hard work.
"All racegoers and Parkes Jockey Club sponsors and supporters are invited to attend what we refer to in Forbes as an amazing experience at Forbes' Australia Day race meeting 25 January 2020," Mr Elliott said.
