Newcastle Harness Racing Club is excited to announce a new Summer Carnival of Racing next month.
FebFest 2023 incorporates three weeks of Feature Races on Fri 3rd, 10th & 17th February, bringing quality racing and a massive line up of off-track entertainment to Newcastle Paceway.
Kicking off FebFest 2023, Harness Racing NSW has re-introduced the TAB Carnival of Cups concept on Fri 3rd February at Newcastle after a four year hiatus, with the $35,000 NEWCASTLE CUP back on the program for NR120 ratings from the mobile barrier over 2550 metres. It will also see the final points round of the inaugural TAB HUNTER & NORTH WEST CHALLENGE SERIES for NR55 ratings trained in the Hunter Valley, Central Coast & North Western districts of NSW after accumulating points from rounds at Maitland in December and Tamworth scheduled for Friday 20th January.
Off track entertainment will offer a family friendly carnival style with loads of fun for the kids including petting zoo, face painters, carnival games and mini trots. Legendary local party band The Years will perform at a free outdoor concert.
The second leg of FebFest 2023 is Team Teal Frocks at the Trots Nights on Friday 10 February with a new feature race, the MARES SLIPPER debuting on the race calendar for NR70 Mares over 1609 metres with prizemoney of $15,000.
Tying in with the annual national WomenCan Team Teal campaign, where across 6 weeks in February & March all harness reinswomen race in teal pants to raise awareness & funds for ovarian cancer research, the Team Teal Frocks at the Trots Race Night is an opportunity for ladies (gents welcome too!) to kick up their hooves in the name of Fashion & FundRACING to support ANZGOGs Research Nurse Grant Program & the Survivors Teaching Students Program.
To cap it all off and complete FebFest 2023, the $100,000 Group 1 AVE Technologies Newcastle Mile will bring together the cream of racing talent on Friday 17 February vying for qualification into harness racings richest sprint event the $1million Miracle Mile at TapCorp Park Menangle on Saturday 4 March. Yet to produce a Miracle Mile winner from the Newcastle qualifier, Club Chairman Daryl Rodgers is hopeful that 2023 is the year. “It would be great to see the winner of the Newcastle Mile take out the Miracle Mile. It would certainly enhance the depth of our race and wouldn’t it be fantastic for the Hunter if one of our horses could make the prestigious final”.
In a coup for the Newcastle Club, Australian Country Rock faves The Viper Creek Band will play a free outdoor concert on the big stage joined by special guest Max Jackson at the After Party fresh off her year as the Tamworth Country Music Festival’s Toyota StarMaker winner.
The inaugural FebFest is shaping up to be a key racing carnival on the Newcastle Harness Racing Club calendar.