The Christmas in July Race Day always attracts a large festive crowd to Thoroughbred Park for the annual Christmas in July luncheon in the VIP Silks Room. The now famous function is bigger than Santa’s belly along with Christmas cheer and celebrations and a great days racing.

Local celebrity Mike Frame will host the luncheon with guest tipster, a Punters Club and prizes to Best Dressed and Best Hat. With all the celebrations and a gourmet 3-course menu with traditional ham and turkey, bookings are longer than Santa’s naughty and nice list.

This will be the second of six race meetings to be held on the synthetic Acton track which has been attracting great participation rates and patrons can be assured of strong and competitive racing at the Christmas In July Raceday.

Sponsors for the day include:

Slickpix

Paparazzi Nightclub

Alan Rummery Bookmaker

Flair Gourmet Services

Racing will resume on the synthetic Acton Track on Friday 20 June 2008 for the first race meeting of the winter season. The synthetic track will be utilised for racing for the next 6 race meetings at Thoroughbred Park. The innovative surface received positive responses from owner’s jockeys and trainers when the track was used for racing last year during the reconstruction of the course proper.

Use of the synthetic surface will allow the grass track to recuperate through the winter months and be in pristine condition for spring, summer and autumn racing.

The Aristocrat Race day will be an exciting day. Free admission and parking and a official function will mark the retirement of well known Aristocrat Manager David Greenow. David has worked for Aristocrat for over 38 years.

Sponsors for the day include

Aristocrat

CSS Security

MYER

Elvin Group

Winning Edge Presentations

Jim Murphy Market Cellars

John McGrath Ford

The Australian American Association (Canberra Division) will commemorate the 66th anniversary of the victory of the 'Battle of the Coral Sea', which took place in May, 1942. Australia and America joined forces to fight off a Japanese attack just off the Australian coast.

The Australian American Association celebrates the victory throughout the week and one of the functions this friendship group will hold to remember the battle, is the Coral Sea Cup race day and lunch at Thoroughbred Park on Friday 9th May 2008.

Tickets may be purchased at a cost of $37, which includes a welcome champagne, 2 course buffet lunch, race book, fashion prizes, and an afternoon of Thoroughbred racing. The American Ambassador will be present to join in celebrations.

The Australian American Association runs the Coral Sea Cup annually at Thoroughbred Park in the exclusive VIP Rich Reward room. All are welcome to attend the function, however bookings are essential.

Alternatively bookings for members and guests can be made for the roast carvery lunch in the Black Opal Room. For more information please call 6241 3888.

Remembering the ANZAC’s on this all important day, Thoroughbred Park pays tribute to the troops by holding the Anzac Open Handicap as part of the 6 race program on the 25^th April 2008.

Horse racing has been a historic part of the ANZAC life. The 1st Australian Division began life at war in 1915 at Gallipoli, to the western front in France and by 1918 they had fought in Bullecort, Paschendale and finally in Amiens, Germany before the war ended. By this time the war had taken its toll on the transport shipping and the troops had to camp and wait until it was their time to make the trip home. During this time morale was low and the officers had to think of ways to boost the men’s spirits. On the 31^st January the 1^st Australian Divisional Racing Club ran their first event.

A well organised meeting with almost 100 names of troops taking part in the organisation of the meet and of course the horses, who had carried their riders, brought the wounded back to casualty stations and pulled the artillery were to take their place on race day. To have a day at the races in Belgium in 1919 was perhaps as close as they could get to the long awaited day when they would return home… Unfortunately the horses remained behind.

You can see the photographs at the Australian War Memorial about horse racing during the First World War.

Bookings can be made for the roast carvery lunch in the VIP Rich Reward Room. For more information please call 6241 3888. Entry is free on the day for a quality day of racing and parking is free and plentiful.

The Canberra Racing Club in association with Australia’s leading thoroughbred auctioneers William Inglis & Son are delighted to announce that the 2008 Black Opal Qualifier for two-year-olds to be held Sunday November 30 on Kennards Canberra Cup Day, has been included in the lucrative $2,500,000 Inglis Races Series.

Inglis will add a bonus of $50,000 to the Black Opal Qualifier, payable to the winner should they be a graduate of any 2008 Inglis Yearling Sale and paid up for the series.

Canberra Racing Club Chief Executive Peter Stubbs said "We are delighted with the announcement as the bonus provides regional owners the opportunity to win substantial prize money, adds strength to the program on Kennards Canberra Cup day and will add incentive for owners to purchase yearlings at Inglis sales which assists in the growth of the local racing industry."

Last year’s winner of the Black Opal Qualifier was De Lightning Ridge who was an Inglis Easter Yearling Sale graduate, while this year’s AAMI Black Opal Stakes (L) winner Sarthemare was purchased at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

"Canberra trainers have always been great supporters of Inglis sales and it is great to be able to give something back in return." said Inglis’ Commercial Development Manager Matt Rudolph. "The Black Opal Qualifier will be one of about 20 Inglis bonus or select races that eligible graduates can contest throughout their two and three year old season giving them a chance to pick off a few races including $100,000 metropolitan bonuses in Sydney and Melbourne."

There are still plenty of opportunities to purchase Inglis yearlings in April and May with close to 2000 yearlings to be collectively offered at Easter (Sydney April 20 - 24), Classic (Sydney April 27 - 29), Autumn (Melbourne May 11 & 12) and Scone (May 22).

All monies paid into the series after bonus races are completed will be disbursed as prize money in an Inglis Guineas for 3yo’s at a venue soon to be announced. It will be underwritten by Inglis for a minimum of $250,000 but could potentially grow to a lot more. Full details are in Inglis catalogues or available at www.inglis.com.au

This Easter is bound to be egg-citing for those that attend the Easter Race Meeting at Thoroughbred Park on Saturday 22 March 2008.

The six race program in the past has been a significant event for those that would like to spend a day out at the races with the family on Easter Saturday and enjoy local thoroughbred racing at its finest.

The VIP Silks Restaurant will be open to the public and bookings are being taken for groups to enjoy a full roast carvery with desert, tea and coffee and special easter eggs-a-plenty for the kids.

World Champion sprinter Takeover Target will have a work out between races and it is a great opportunity to see this great champion in the flesh. Takeover Target is in training at Thoroughbred Park in Canberra in preparation for his next assault on races in Singapore, England and the Sydney autumn carnival.

The Belconnen Magpies one of Canberra’s most successful Australian Rules Football teams of the modern era will host a fundraising race meeting at Thoroughbred Park tomorrow, Friday 7 March 2008 with proceeds to go to the ACT Chapter of the Children’s Starlight Foundation.

The 8 race program is supported by the Belconnen Magpies Golf, Sports, City and Football Clubs as well as Crimsafe Canberra, Ray White Commercial, Monaro Screens and Affinity Electrical Technologies. The day will also be one of memoriam for the late Alan Phillips, an avid supporter of the Magpies Club and Canberra racing who passed away after a short illness.

Canberra Guineas runner-up Macknuckle, trained by Bernie Howlett, should have plenty of admirers in the Magpies City Club Rating 75 Handicap (1600m), as will stablemate Play Of Light in the Affinity Electrical Technologies Rating 63 Handicap (1400m). Indezone, trained by astute Danny Williams and part-owned by the Sydney media identity Ron Dufficy and his brother Rod, has strong claims to break its maiden status in the Alan Phillips Memorial Maiden (1600m).