Gallops still reject us - Stawell

The Stawell Times reported on Tuesday that Stawell Race Club rejected Stawell Harness Racing Club & HRV's offer to stage a meeting instead of their abandoned Stawell Cup meeting - abandoned due to suspected vandalism of track.

This Easter Sunday meeting is the local gallops biggest as Easter is the busiest time of the year in these parts thanks to The Stawell Gift (athletics). A lavish production was planned to try and duplicate the thoroughbred meeting and The Racing club would have retained all proceeds from the day!

The Horsham Harness Racing History booklet distributed at their 100yrs celebration in Feb highlighted the bias against trotting right across Victoria back in the 19th century by racing journalists - certainly cannot blame the newspaper this time but it would seem the racing codes are never likely to work together (something our Premier is always talking about) if the gallops reject offers of help like this one :(

I now read that they are proceeding with a 'fun day' at the racecourse with big screen coverage of their meeting that has been shifted to Donald. Of course this could have been part of the trots offer - it will be interesting to see how many they get to turn up, I think there is a far greater chance that Donald not Stawell is going to reap the benefits but then again maybe more people might turn up to the athletics on the Sunday (usually the quietest day of the 3 day carnival). The Stawell/Grampians area has been doing it tough with the effects of the 2011 floods and fires again this year and really could do with a big Easter. I have to admit that a drawback for Stawell Harness putting it on could have been a lack of room.

Didnt Stawell use to run a meeting on the easter Monday Kev? I vaguely remember attending a few meetings when I was a wee tacker on that day.

I have only been retired up here the last 16mths Leigh but always came to the area a lot including every Easter (wife's family has its roots here) . The gallops have had the Easter Sunday for a while and I mostly remember the trots being on straight after Easter - possibly the Wednesday as depending on where the school holidays fell in relation to Easter, determined whether I would get to the trots meeting

Sorry Kev. I'm thinking it was maybe Anzac Day.