Charge Your Glasses, It's Time For The Bong Bong Picnic Races

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday November 12, 2003

By WILLIAM VERITY

THERE is only one place to be seen today for anybody within cooee of the Southern Highlands who cares about their position in society.

It's time again for the Bong Bong Picnic Races.

The premier social event for residents of Bowral and beyond is under starter's orders, ready for the first race at 1.20pm.

Some 7000 people will watch 48 horses run in six races competing for $32,000 in race prize money and $62,500 in stallion fees.

They will wine and dine in 100 marquees and bet $400,000 with 28 on-course bookies whose work is assisted by the lack of a TAB.

Also ready to go will be 20 mobile police breath-testing units ready to catch drink-drivers. ``Anybody who drinks and drives will have rocks in their head," Sandy Walker, race club chairman, said.

The good news for racegoers who enjoy a tipple is that there will be at least six buses collecting and returning people from all over the Southern Highlands and to train stations in the area.

It was an idea that had its first run last year and proved so successful, the club decided to expand the pilot.

The race meeting is one of the few events - and certainly the largest - held on the 68ha Wyeera course once comfortably outside Bowral, and now on the town's south-eastern edge. First held in the late 1800s, shortly after the first Melbourne Cup, the race meeting became a victim of its own success in 1985 when 35,000 people caused mayhem and outrage.

The Australian Jockey Club then revoked the licence and only relented in 1992 on the proviso that entry was limited to 5000 members and guests. That number increased by a couple of hundred this year, after a decade of genteel socialising without even a hint of bawdy behaviour.

See tomorrow's Mercury for a full report on the race meeting.

© 2003 Illawarra Mercury

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