Maryborough Carnival gets Group 1 boost

Maryborough’s famous Redwood Carnival has been ‘spiced up’ for a huge party in October, with the headline race being the return to Group 1 status.

The Aldebaran Park Redwood Classic is worth $75,000 when it runs on Sunday, October 27. It is part of a square-gaiting celebration that also includes the Group 1 Haras des Trotteurs Victoria Trotters Derby and the Group 3 Maryborough Trotters Cup.

Jackson Barby, general manager of Maryborough Harness Racing Club, said the club had adjusted its key racing calendar to prioritise the fixed-start Classic for two-year-olds, which would increase from $50,000 to $75,000 and regain Group 1 status.

“The foundation of Redwood is that it is a carnival that is held on all fronts, an event with a great tradition. If we want to grow that, we have to be proactive and innovative,” says Barby.

The club will skip the pacing cup in September and forfeit prize money for the Classic and Trotters Cup to make way for a grand trotting festival on October 27.

“We always had the idea of ​​bringing the Trotters Cup to Redwood, and one goal was to get the Redwood Classic back to Group 1 status,” said Barby.

“It’s hard to raise the stakes in this climate, but we were able to do that by reallocating prize money from our pacing cup to the Redwood Classic. It’s not a decision we’ve taken lightly, but working with our great supporter Aldebaran Park, a great promoter of trotting, we aim to make Redwood the largest regional trotting carnival in Australia and an international attraction.”

Duncan McPherson, director of Aldebaran Park, congratulated the club for its forward thinking.

“To their credit, they understood that the carnival wasn’t reaching the lofty heights it had previously achieved,” McPherson said. “I encouraged them to align with HRV’s philosophy, which is to focus on fewer, larger showcase race days.”

The Redwood Carnival will now include the following:

• The Haras des Trotteurs Victoria Derby Heats on Sunday 20th October;
• A Redwood Remembrance Race Day on Friday, October 25, honoring the trotting legends of the past;
• The annual Redwood Dinner Dance on Saturday, October 26;
• And the highlight is the Group 1 Aldebaran Park Redwood Classic, Group 1 Haras des Trotteurs Victoria Trotters Derby and Group 3 Maryborough Trotters Cup on Sunday October 27.

“Sunday will be a great day of racing with a quarter of a million prize money and will put Maryborough back in the spotlight as the home of the Redwood,” said McPherson.

“The community can come together on Sunday for the premier regional all-trotting race day, a showcase event not to be missed. The club has given the event a boost, increased the prize money and we have a day that caters for the best horses from all over Australia. Now it’s up to the trainers and their horses to get out there and put on a show.”

Harness Racing Victoria CEO Matt Isaacs congratulated the club on its vision and commitment to harness racing.

“The Redwood Carnival has long been one of the state’s largest celebrations and is such a valuable asset to our rich trotting fraternity,” Isaacs said.

“The Maryborough club are to be congratulated for embracing this and I am optimistic that the Victorian harness racing industry will rise to the occasion and support their efforts.”

Anne Maree Conroy, president of the Victorian Square Trotters Association, said she admired the club’s support for this special day in Victoria’s calendar.

“They are very strong and determined in what they are trying to do, so credit to the club,” said Conroy.

“We all look forward to Redwood Day, if you have a trotter you plan to travel a long way to be there and race on one of those days. When Dad (Bob Conroy) was at his peak we took 11 horses a year and although it was a lot of work we just wanted to be there and we still do. It’s a special trotter carnival and it’s great to see the investment in it.”

Click here to book your tickets for the Redwood Carnival.

Through Michael Howardfor Harness Racing Victoria