Great Western
Racecourse

Great Western Racecourse

Wimmera Region - Victoria

Great Western is a quaint village located in the heart of the Grampians wine region. The Great Western Racecourse is just off the Western Highway, behind the famous Seppelt Great Western Winery.

click for google map - for directions

Great Western racecourse is located 219 km west of Melbourne, access Great Western via the Western Highway. Turn onto Moyston road, off the highway, and follow the racecourse signs.

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Donald Racecourse Donald Cup Day.jpg

Great Western Seppelt Salinger Cup.jpg

Great Western Racecourse Cup meeting.jpg

It's a Horse Race.
It's a Boat Race.
It's a Day You Won't Forget.

Seppelt Salinger Great Western Cup
Saturday 23rd Janaury (non-TAB)

Whether you come for the day or an extended Australi Day weekend, The Ulitmate Country Experience at the Seppelt Salinger Great Western Cup, is a must-see event.

The Ultimate Country Experience kicks off on the Friday evening with the 'Friday Night Cup Eve Dinner'.
Click here for details.

Your experience will continue on Seppelt Salinger Great Western Cup Day, with entertainment and activities including;
- Country thoroughbread racing at its finest
- Seppelt wine and food stalls
- The inaugral XXXX Gold Boat Regatta
- Live music
- Whip cracking and Boot scooting
- Stawell Amcal Fashions on the Field
- Carroll's Saddlery Country Fashions on the Field
- Camp Australia kids' activities

Be amazed at the XXXX Gold Retreat. A massive B-Double truck that turns into a split level bar with decking, flat screen TV's, stage and Big Screen. If you are spotted in the beer garden enjoying an icy cool XXXX, between races 2 and 7, you'll be invited up to the
VIP GOLD CLASS.

The hang around after the last for the "Classic Aussie Rock Show." Featuring legendary rocker John 'Swanee' Swan for the Party Boys.

XXXX Gold Boat Regatta
Find out whether you'll sink or swim in the inaugral XXXX Gold Boat Regatta. The challenge is to decorate your boat and then race it up the straight at Great Western. The carrot is a share of $7,000 in prizes. Legendary status awaits.
1st $3,000... 2nd $1,500... 3rd $500...
Best Dressed Boat $1,000...
Best & Fairest- Night at the St Kilda Road Parview for the team Valued at $500...
Heat Winners- $500 worth of James Boag's Product
Click here for details.

Race Day Admission
Adult $15... Concession... $12... Children u17 Free- when accompanied by and adult.
Gates open 11am

Transport
Courtesy Coach from
Halls Gap & Stawell
Departs
Halls Gap Info Centre 11.30am
Halls Gap Pub 11.40am
Stawell Town Hall 12.15pm

Ararat
Ararat Town Hall 12noon

Both buses will be doing two return trips, the first will be at 5.40pm (after the last) and the the final trip will be at 7.30pm- the bus will be at the racecourse at 7.15pm for the 7.30pm departure.

Ballarart bus $25 return. Call Gold Bus to book 5335 5005.

Accommodation
Camping available at the racecourse from $5pp. For other accommodation options contact the following visitor information centres
Ararat & Grampians 1800 657 158... Halls Gap 1800 065 599... Stawell 1800 330 080

Seppelt Salinger Great Western Cup Dinner
Friday 22nd January
Start the Australia Day weekend in country style with the Cup Eve Dinner. Held at the historic Seppelts winery, youll be treated to;
- Canapes and drinks on arrival on the lawns
- A sumptuous three course dinner with a selection of the winery's finest
- Live music from the Ricky Musct band
- A tour of "The Drives"- the only underground wine cellar in the Southern Hemishpere
- Hosted by Rob Gaylard and special guest 3AW's Tony Leonard
Dinner Tickets $120pp or $130pp which will include your raceday admission, saving you $10pp
Packages
Cup Eve Dinner and Inclusive Trackside Marquee $240pp
Seppelt Salinger Great Western Cup Eve Dinner plus morning drinks on the lawns at Seppelts and then a VIP ticket into their trackside marquee which includes gourmet BBQ luncheon, beverages, admission and race book

Seppelts Trackside VIP Marquee $130pp
Morning drinks on the lawns at Seppelts and then a VIP ticket into their trackside marquee which includes gourmet BBQ luncheon, beverages, admission and race book. To enquire about this marquee please contact Seppelts 5361 2222

Other Race day Packages
$160.00 Umbrella Package
Large 3m Umbrella... Garden table... 10 chairs

$240.00 Mini Marquee
3x3m Marquee... Garden table... 10 chairs

$440.00 Entertainer Marquee
3x6m Marquee... 2 Garden tables... 20 Chairs

$2,550.00 Corporate Marquee
Min 30 people. Includes Admission.... beverages (served from first race to last race)... Own private marquee with bar and host... TV.. Courtyard with seating, tables and umbrellas. Extra people $85each.

For all race day enquiries and booking please contact the club 03 5358 5288

Great Western Racecourse History

The small Western highway town of Great Western is famous for two reasons, wine and horse racing. Home of the renowned Seppelt winery, the town also hosts one of Victoria’s best known and most loved country race meetings, Great Western Cup Day.

The earliest reports of horse racing in the town date back to 1859. In 1860 the Ararat Advertiser reported a particularly colourful day at the Great Western races. Supporters of favourite Black Boy invaded the track in order to prevent the second horse, Punch, from winning. Naturally Punch’s supporters were not impressed with this display of poor sportsmanship and a wild brawl erupted. Eventually the course was cleared so the races could continue, but “as the last race was about to start, fighting broke out again and the day’s racing terminated in a general free fight”.

Racing at Great Western Racecourse has come a long way since the early pioneer days, and the annual Cup Day now boasts a family picnic atmosphere, although there is naturally plenty of fine wine to be enjoyed, courtesy of major sponsor Seppelt.

While relatively small in circumference, the track has a 300 metre long straight which is lined with trees, creating extremely picturesque surrounds as well as providing much needed shade.

The Wimmera Racing Club took over the administration of racing at Great Western Racecourse in 2004 however still relies heavily on the Great Western local Committee in both the upkeep of the track and facilities and the organization and promotion of the races.