By Charlene Macaulay
The Werribee Racing Club’s 2018-19 season has jumped out of the starting gate and is gearing up for a mammoth quarantine period before race meetings kick off in December.
Speaking at the WRC season launch last week, racing club manager Ashley Baker said although the club couldn’t hold race meetings between September and mid-November because of quarantine restrictions, there was still plenty happening thanks to the presence of international horses stabled at the quarantine centre.
Mr Baker encouraged locals to pop down to the track from mid-September and see horses that will be competing in the Spring Racing Carnival complete their morning track work.
He said this year’s International Breakfast with the Stars would be held at Werribee Racecourse on November 1, offering people a chance to rub shoulders with leading horse owners and trainers and see the Melbourne Cup trophy.
More than 5000 racegoers are expected to attend the first race meet of the season, the Werribee Cup, on December 9.
“Our track is metropolitan class, no doubt. The horses wouldn’t be coming [here] from Europe if they weren’t guaranteed a quality track such as ours,” Mr Baker said.
“But we firmly see ourselves as a country club.”
