One of Toowoomba’s biggest social events is expanding this year, promising punters an action-packed racing carnival come September.
Racegoers have been spoiled for choice with The Weetwood Carnival adding a curtain-raising function a fortnight before the main event.
The additional race day will feature live racing, music, fashion and auctions all with a pink theme to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research. The Florence and Marabel Pink Ribbon Race Day will be held at Clifford Park Racecourse on Saturday, September 14.
“The fundraising won’t stop on that day we are going to continue raising funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation throughout the entire Weetwood Carnival events,” Toowoomba Turf Club chairman Jason Ward said.
These events include a corporate golf day, breakfast with the stars, barrier draws and a sportsmans lunch with a yet-to-be-confirmed appearance by racing legend three-time Melbourne Cup winning retired jockey Damien Oliver.
The Toowoomba Weetwood Carnival also has a new naming rights sponsor with Brisbane-based horse supplement business 1Equine coming on board after Audi Centre Toowoomba ended a nine-year partnership.
“I think it’s such a traditional race that I have always been exposed to from a little fella,” 1Equine managing director Chris Essex said.
“I love a punt, and I’ve always loved the horses and now I’m lucky enough through the business to be able to sponsor such a race, it’s quite the honour for us.”
Mr Essex said Weetwood was one of those races that he always followed and that he was good mates with the 2023 Weetwood Handicap winning trainer Tony Gollan, now based in Brisbane, who uses his products almost exclusively.
Mr Essex said it was great to see him win last year.
“I know it was certainly one of the races that he really wanted to win so it just made a lot of sense for Tony coming from here and winning that race you could see the elation on his face. It was really nice to see,” he said.
Mr Essex was born in Toowoomba, but left the city when he was aged two.
“I was too young to punt – it was a couple of years later – not much longer though,” he said.
