While punters will get a first look at some potential candidates for next month's $65,000 The Oriana Orange Gold Cup (2100 metres) on Sunday, this weekend's Legends Day at Towac Park is as much about celebrating Racing Orange's history as the on-track action.
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The main event of Sunday's Country TAB meeting is the Orange Cup Prelude, over 1600, and a number of potential cup contenders have nominated, but the off-track celebration looks set to be just as riveting.
There'll be live music and entertainment and memorabilia strewn throughout Towac Park, while the Wall of Fame's unveiling will also include a number of legends' induction, they'll become the inaugural members.
"The Wall of Fame, which will basically be an honour board and [inductions] will become an annual event," Racing Orange executive officer Bree McMinn explained.
"It will include things like Gold Cup winners but it'll be more about personalities from Towac Park through the years; jockeys, trainers and the people that have been around the club.
"There's not a lot of historical [memorabilia] floating around the club at the moment so it's a good way for us to celebrate our history, with more than 100 years of racing (since establishment in 1870)."
Racing Orange has been running polls via Facebook in the lead-up to the event, giving punters a chance to vote on their favourite jockeys and trainers, which also provides a touch of insight as to who those inaugural inductees may be.
Matey Molloy, Ned Dougherty, Nigel Seymour and Herb Crain were options in the jockey poll, while Reg Preist, Dick Cornish, Stan Hayden and Gary Portelli were in the trainer poll.
It will include things like Gold Cup winners but it'll be more about personalities from Towac Park through the years.
- Racing Orange CEO Bree McMinn, on the club's new Wall of Fame
Although, that's no confirmation, the only way to find out who is inducted is to be trackside on Sunday.
In terms of the seven-race program, nominations are strong.
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Initially the meeting received 116 nominations and 12 for the main event, although that was one race that was extended until 11am on Wednesday to potentially attract more.
"We're looking forward to another good meeting," McMinn said.
In the main event one nomination jumps off the page, that of reigning Orange Gold Cup champion Letter to Juliette, from Garry White's Hawkesbury stable.
As a four-year-old the mare stormed to a two-length victory in last year's cup, beating out the likes of Joseph Pride's Bon Equus and Danny Williams' Mister Marmalade and, naturally, her nomination for Sunday's prelude suggests she'll be back on Cup day if things go to plan.
"Fingers crossed," McMinn said of the reigning champion's return.
Should White accept for Sunday, Letter to Juliette will go into the race with very different form to that of last year. She entered the 2018 cup after a number of minor placings, but hasn't finished better than sixth across her four starts this prep although they've all been in benchmark 78 company at Sydney's highest-profile tracks.
If White does return for April 12's cup he'll be chasing a fifth success. Last year's victory backed up his wins of yesteryear, the Hawkesbury trainer tasted success twice with Aussie Statesman and once with Peaceful Joe as well.
Final fields for this weekend's meeting are due on Thursday, with gates opening at noon at Towac Park on Sunday afternoon.
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