By DAVID NAGEL
AN already huge year has got bigger and better for the Pakenham Racing Club after it was shortlisted as one of five nominees for the CrownBet Country Racing Victoria Club of the Year.
Pakenham is joined by Ballarat, Kilmore, Kyneton-Hanging Rock and Wodonga as finalists, with the winner to be announced at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday 29 August.
The winner will receive a $20,000 Country Racing Victoria funding grant.
The clubs will be judged on a number of criteria, including attendance, community involvement, and profitability and delivering a top-quality race day experience.
Pakenham Racing Club chairman Don Duffy said the club was delighted to be a finalist for the coveted club of the year award.
“This nomination recognises the success of the Pakenham Racing Club’s return to racing, and the construction of our new world class racing and training venue,” Duffy said.
It was a big year for the Pakenham Racing Club, with the opening of its brand-new $72 million racing and training facility, Racing.com Park.
CRV chief executive Scott Whiteman congratulated all five clubs on being recognised as finalists.
“It was a difficult task to narrow the field to five finalists after such a successful country racing season,” Whiteman said.
“Ballarat, Kilmore, Kyneton, Pakenham and Wodonga continue to set a high standard for all of our racing clubs and this nomination is recognition for their hard work.”
Meanwhile, the PRC rolled out the red carpet for the more mature members of the community on Tuesday at its Senior’s Raceday at Tynong.
The stories flowed as thick and as fast as the winners on track, with Sale trainer Rebecca Kelly scoring a win in the first with her three-year-old filly, Classy Crissi.
