The Seymour Cup is ready to giddy up, back at its rightful home on Sunday, October 22.
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Seymour’s biggest day of racing will return to Seymour Racing Club for the first time since 2019.
With the return of the cup sparking huge interest, racing club chief executive Chris Martin said he is preparing for one of the biggest days the club has ever seen.
“2019, we ran our last cup. We’ve only run two cups in seven years,” Martin said.
“So, the track was first reconstructed in 2016. We raced in 2017, missed 2018 and ran in 2019 and haven’t since.
“It’s just exciting to have it back here...the local cups are starting to happen, and it’s just seeing the weather they get and the crowds.
“It’ll be a good indication, I think, of whether people are ready to rock and roll.
“Early bookings are telling us that it’s going to be well patronised.
“It’s flying along.
“In fact, I think we’re all a little bit scared about how big it could be.
The first three meetings this season have gone off without a hitch.
The club has seen a good number of patrons and members attending.
With thousands of attendees set to hit the Seymour Racing Club the day after the Caufield Cup on what’s sure to be a spectacular day in the sun, a space in the shade will be lucrative.
But don’t worry, Martin has you covered.
“We’ve got the CUB party marquee, and we’re hoping to get 250 in there,” he said.
“It’s a fully serviced marque that’ll have a beverage package and canapes during the day.
“It’s aimed at the 18 to 40-year-old market, whereas in the Bar Landys restaurant, that’s your more buffet style, with 150 (spaces) in there.
“That’s nearly booked out, so if you want a sit-down meal, you have to get in quick.”
While the action on the track is sure to be the main show, Martin said that there will be plenty more going on around the track as well.
“We’ve got a jumping castle for the kids and Kelly Sports that will run activities for kids all day,” he said.
“In the party marquee, we’ve got Evan Hocking, the comedian.
“We’ve got a Master of Ceremonies for the day, Dan Mielicki; he’s a trotting caller, so he’ll be working down here on presentations.
“Hopefully, there is an Essendon and Hawks presence, with Sam (Durham) and Sophie (Locke) being the faces of the cup.
“There’ll also be live music down on the lawn from local artist Bentley Grattan.”
For the fashionistas, there will be style spotting throughout the day.
Style spotting is unlike the normal fashions on the field, where participants have to nominate and get up on stage.
Instead, a judge will be roaming the crowd on cup day and award prizes on the spot to the best-dressed racegoers.
Getting locals involved is at the heart of Martin’s plans for the Seymour Cup.
“Our big aim is to partner with local businesses,” he said.
“We’re setting up a Station St food court.
“We’ve partnered with a number of Station St vendors and worked out who would like to come and set up an area for us.
“So far, we have five or six (vendors).
“So there are the local vendors helping to feed the crowds, but then local wineries that are sponsoring the races.
“(They are) also providing products and hopefully (we are) increasing their brand awareness.”
While local businesses are sure to win off the track, Martin is hoping for local wins on it.
“It’s always good to have local people win,” he said.
“That first meeting back (this year), we had two (local trainers win).
“A local won it last time. Frank Butler, he owned the winner of the previous Seymour Cup that was run here.”
While picking a winner is never a certainty, what is for sure is that the return of the Seymour Cup to home soil will be a day to remember.