Narrandera Race Club embraces summer action

By JEFF HANSON Narrandera Race Club will break from tradition in 2027, replacing its long-standing June winter meeting with a new December fixture in a move designed to create a major end-of-year racing and social event for Narrandera and the wider Riverina. For many years, the club has conducted its three annual race meetings across June, July and August, but the revised calendar will see racing spread across the second half of the year, with meetings scheduled for Sunday 11 July, Saturday 14 August, and Saturday 4 December. The introduction of the December meeting represents a significant milestone for the club, which has spent several years working towards securing a permanent summer fixture. With the meeting scheduled for the first Saturday in December, the club is already planning a Christmas-themed race day designed to attract businesses, workplace Christmas parties, social groups and visitors from surrounding communities. Narrandera Race Club Racing manager Michael Bailey said the new date was the culmination of several years of planning and discussions. “We’ve been working towards this for a number of years, so to finally secure an annual December meeting is a tremendous result for the club,” Mr Bailey said. “We’re already in the planning stages for a full TAB summer race meeting with a strong Christmas party theme, and we’re confident it can develop into a major social occasion for Narrandera and the surrounding region. “We’re also looking at infrastructure improvements to cater for what we hope will be a large crowd, while addressing the challenges associated with summer racing, particularly track preparation and ensuring patrons are comfortable in the warmer conditions.” Mr Bailey described the calendar change as one of the most significant developments in the club’s recent history, ranking alongside Narrandera’s inclusion in the lucrative Big Dance qualifying series. “In terms of changes to our racing calendar, this is a major step forward for the club and probably second only in significance to securing Big Dance qualifying status for the Community Bank Narrandera Cup five years ago,” he said. “A strong turnout and a successful day of quality racing in December would open the door to further opportunities and provide a platform for the continued growth of Narrandera Race Club.” The new meeting will also provide an opportunity for local businesses and community organisations to benefit from increased visitation during the festive season. With Christmas celebrations traditionally gathering momentum in early December, the club believes the timing is ideal to establish a race day that appeals to both regular racing enthusiasts and those looking for an end-of-year social occasion. The revised calendar will see the Community Bank Narrandera Cup retain its traditional July position, with the club’s feature meeting scheduled for Sunday 11 July. The Narrandera Ex-Servicemen’s Club Race Day will follow on Saturday 14 August, before the inaugural December fixture, the Chemsave Chrissy Race Day, on Saturday 4 December. Mr Bailey acknowledged the assistance of racing administrators in helping the club achieve its long-term objective. “We’re extremely grateful to Racing NSW, Scott Kennedy and Michael Buckley for their guidance and support throughout this process,” he said. “Securing this date is an exciting opportunity for the club, and we’re determined to make the most of it.” Narrandera Race Club’s 2027 racing calendar: • Sunday 11 July: Community Bank Narrandera Cup Race Day • Saturday 14 August: Narrandera Ex-Servicemen’s Club LW Peacock Memorial Race Day • Saturday 4 December: Chemsave Chrissy TC Lee Memorial Race Day Further details regarding hospitality packages, Christmas party bookings and race day entertainment will be announced in the lead-up to the December meeting.

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