Eugowra to host bumper Mates 4 Harness Flood Relief '23 meeting

Seeing that immediately planted an idea in the mind of Michael Dumesny.

As someone based in Parkes but strongly connected to so many people in various communities which were left devastated by flooding late last year, Dumesny wanted to do something to help.

On Tuesday, that plan will become a reality.

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The Mates 4 Harness Flood Relief '23 is set to be one of the biggest race meetings in the bush and it will be held at Eugowra Harness Racing Club on Anzac Day.

The meeting takes the place of Forbes' annual memorial race day, which is unable to go ahead as the town's track was damaged by floodwaters.

The memorial events will still be run at Eugowra now while many of the biggest names in the sport will take to the track, all in the hope of raising funds for so many people who are still picking up the pieces after last year's deadly event.

"When the track wasn't affected I thought how good it would be to have a meeting out here at some stage," Dumesny said.

"One thing led to another. Forbes couldn't get their track back and all of a sudden all the clubs around the Central West banded together and we were having Zoom meetings and then, next minute, we had a date.

"It just snowballed from there and the day is going to be pretty special.

"I'm looking forward to it and it's not all about the racing. It's about what we're going to bring and the show we're going to put on for the communities."

Buses full of racegoers are set to make the trip from the likes of Bathurst, Cowra, Parkes, Forbes and Orange to be a part of the day.

There will be food and drink on offer while there will also be live music, market stalls, free entertainment for kids, free dodgem cars, a jumping castle, and the traditional Anzac Day parade.

That's the attraction before even getting to what's going to occur on the track as some of the greats of racing do battle in the All-Stars Drivers Invitation Series.

"When I was a kid I was trots mad, I still am, and I looked up to the young stars then," Dumesny said.

"But these guys are the new superstars. There's no-one bigger in Australia right now than Cameron Hart and he's going to be at Eugowra,

"Jack Callaghan is probably number two in Australia behind Hart and then there's Will Rixon, who's the in-form driver in Sydney at the moment.

"Nathan Turnbull is the in-form driver out here and then Amanda (Turnbull) can do absolutely anything she wants to do. She's just a freak.

"There's Robbie Morris ... there's no better driver at being able to get a horse into a race after drawing three or four pegs. He's like a magician.

"Bernie Hewitt has won so many Canola Cups. Matty Rue, he grew up next door at Canowindra and he's won the Miracle Mile and then there's the new glamour couple in Blake Hughes and Grace Panella coming down from Newcastle.

"It's just a massive thing."

Those drivers will be mixing with fans on the day and spending plenty of time giving out autographs and posing for photos.

But on the track it will still be all business as there's plenty of motivation to win the Drivers Invitational Series.

A two-race series, drivers will earn points and the winner will be crowned the champion.

All the drivers will wear special jersey-style silks in those races with their names and sponsors on there.

Those sponsors have already raised $15,000 for the day while some drivers have already confirmed they will be donating their driver fees as well.

"Don't worry, these drivers are coming to win it after talking to a few," Dumesny added.

"Young Grace Panella, she wants to beat these big guns and she's coming to win.

"It could create very entertaining racing."

The other beauty of having a race meeting like this at this time is it will also keep the flood victims and the recovery in the minds of people.

"I pushed very hard to keep this in the forefront of people's minds," Dumesny added.

"This meeting is six months almost from when everything first happened but this is just to say we haven't forgotten about Eugowra or Forbes or Cowra or any of the communities out west.

"This is a day to say it's not the end, we're still thinking of these guys and that's what's great about Mates 4 Racing and Harness Racing NSW.

"When it first happens you need a lot of people and a lot of support but over time you need to keep supporting those people and that's what we want to do.

"These people are still putting their lives back together."

The first of eight races is at 12.13pm on Tuesday.

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