Racing Orange is hoping to put gallops back on the menu for punters and spectators alike over the summer, but the biggest barrier to people heading to the races is still in place.
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While work is being done at Towac Park, with a focus on new stables and tie-up stalls as well a new caller's box, but the main changes punters will notice are works on the garden and a new function room for members which will serve as a VIP area.
Racing Orange also has a new membership system which will offer members discounts around town, but Racing Orange CEO McMinn acknowledged the biggest changes needed to be on race day to bring crowds back to Towac Park.
The biggest barrier to that - weekday meets - will still be an issue with just the one Saturday meeting for the season on February 22 for the Banjo Paterson Cup Day, but one way Racing Orange is hoping to sidestep the issue is by plugging Friday meetings.
The Orange Gold Cup on April 17 and Poets Race Day on November 8 are both Fridays, but Bree McMinn said November 22 would be a 'Tradies and Ladies' day at Towac and Racing Orange would be trying to go big on that day.
The Banjo Paterson Cup will be a Ladies' Day, with makeup tents and stalls focusing on "bringing the class back to Towac".
While there'll be a push to increase the number of Saturdays on the roster next year, McMinn said for now they had to "work with what they've got".
The rain will help the Towac Park track, which hasn't followed some tracks further north in becoming more dust than turf.
Monday's meeting has a field of 105 nominations, which McMinn said was a healthy field considering a Country Showcase Meeting will be held at Bathurst six days later.
Five time Orange Cup-winner Garry White will have four runners across the seven races in what he will be hoping proves a triumphant return to Towac Park.
Paris In May will face a tough field in the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1000 metres) but Cool One, Also Cool and Timely Shadow have also nominated for Monday's meet.
Alison Smith has nominated three horses, with Balon De Oro down for both the Maiden Handicap over 1400 and the Class 1 Handicap over 1600, while fellow Towac residents Michael Plummer and Alex van den Bos have also nominated runners.
Dubbo trainer Connie Greig has a massive 10 nominations across the seven races, including four in the day's opener, the Benchmark 66.
Squared is looking the most likely for Greig in that fixture, although the mare has had just the one run since her last win in Dubbo on May 27, following a fourth and a third in the same month.
The Mark-Milton trained Escebee hasn't crossed the line in front since back-to-back wins in Bathurst and Dubbo in October and November 2018, but has picked up six thirds and three seconds in that time.
Acceptances for Monday's meeting are due at noon on Thursday.
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