Albany slot race The Bluff Knoll and two Saturday meetings in Mt Barker major changes to 2023-24 season

A bumper 2023-24 Great Southern racing season is expected with the addition of the highly anticipated Albany slot race and two Saturday meetings for Mt Barker Turf Club.

In all, 20 meetings will be run in the region again this season, 14 at Albany Racing Club and six at Mt Barker Turf Club.

The $350,000 The Bluff Knoll, the first edition of WA’s richest feature race outside the metropolitan area, will be run on Sunday, March 10 and is a major addition to the calendar.

An idea to hold a slot race in regional WA has come to life with the race run over 1099m, the height of Bluff Knoll – which is the highest peak in the Stirling Range National Park.

Similar to the format of The Everest at Randwick and The Quokka at Ascot, spots in the race will be sold at a certain price and slot holders then chose their horse to run in the big race at Percy Spencer Racecourse.

In another change to the Great Southern season, Mt Barker will hold two Saturday meetings that will be run on the same day as a metropolitan race meeting.

The first of those will be on Saturday, February 17, the same day as Pinjarra’s Magic Millions event.

The Mt Barker Cup will be run on Saturday, March 16 with the metropolitan meeting featuring the J.C Roberts Stakes and Natasha Stakes run at Ascot on the same day.

Another change will be the on Sunday, March 31 being marketed as the Wellington & Reeves Albany Community Cup Day.

Mt Barker will open the new season with their Pretty In Pink Day on Sunday, November 5.

Albany’s opening day will be on Sunday November 19 and the season will close in Albany on Friday, May 17.

Albany’s big social event the Boxing Day Races will be on Tuesday, December 26 while other feature days include the Fitzpatrick Plate on January 14 and Jericho Cup qualifier on April 28.

Mt Barker’s biggest meeting of the season, the Grapes and Gallops festival, is set down for Sunday, January 28.

Albany will hold a set of barrier trials on Friday as the countdown to the new season begins.

Great Southern Racing Dates 2023-24

Sunday, November 5 – Mt Barker Turf Club (Pretty in Pink Day)

Sunday, November 19 – Albany Racing Club (Opening Day)

Thursday, November 30 – Albany Racing Club

Thursday, December 7 – Mt Barker Turf Club

Thursday, December 14 – Albany Racing Club

Tuesday, December 26 – Albany Racing Club (Boxing Day Races)

Thursday, January 4 – Mt Barker Turf Club

Sunday, January 14 – Albany Racing Club (Fitzpatrick Plate)

Sunday, January 28 – Mt Barker Turf Club (Grapes & Gallops)

Friday, February 9 – Albany Racing Club

Saturday, February 17 – Mt Barker Turf Club

Thursday, February 29 – Albany Racing Club

Sunday, March 10 – Albany Racing Club (The Bluff Knoll)

Saturday, March 16 – Mt Barker Turf Club (Mt Barker Cup)

Sunday, March 31 – Albany Racing Club (Albany Cup)

Thursday, April 11 – Albany Racing Club

Friday, April 19 – Albany Racing Club

Sunday, April 28 – Albany Racing Club (Jericho Cup Qualifier)

Thursday, May 9 – Albany Racing Club

Friday, May 17 – Albany Racing Club