THE Ballarat Cup is well on the way to being a bumper day.
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Ballarat Turf Club has already sold 2500 dining packages, significantly more than the 1500 at the same time last year.
BTC chief executive Lachlan McKenzie said the club had matched last year’s sales and there remained scope to add to it.
“The Saturday (November 22) has captured the imagination,” he said.
McKenzie said limited tables were still available in the grandstand dining room and BTC marquee, along with mini-marquee and umbrella sites.
BELLISSIMA Miss has a lot to live up to on the racetrack.
Not only is she a daughter of classic-placed New Zealand mare Veloce Bella, she cost $440,00 at the 2013 NZ premier yearling sale.
The Zabeel filly is coming from a long way back.
She has had just the one run for trainer Anthony Freedman – beating home only two rivals at Cranbourne on October 10.
Bellissima Miss will get another chance to show she can live up to super bloodlines in the Porter Plant Maiden for fillies and mares, 1600m, in Ballarat on Thursday.
Ballarat Turf Club has its second race meeting on its new track, with all races restricted to fillies and mares.
Curvy appears one of Bellissima Miss’s toughest opponents.
The mare is trained by Robert Smerdon, who is enjoying a great run with fillies and mares.
Fontein Ruby and Crafty quinellaed the inaugural running of the group 3 $750,000 Caulfield Classic, 2000m, for Smerdon on Saturday.
A four-year-old mare, Curvy has only raced once, but it was an encouraging third to Fenway at Bendigo on Octrober 2.
Curvy is by Pins out of NZ-bred mare More To Love, which had a win and two minor placings before being retired after just four starts, but more significantly is a half-sister to champion galloper and four-time group 1 winner Starcraft (11 win, $2,814,405).
Forum Floozie (five wins, $477,780) is another sibling.
More than 200 will attend the ladies day lunch at Ballarat-Sportsbet on Thursday. Former TV weather presenter Jane Bunn will be guest speaker.
The BTC has programmed eight races, with the first at 1.20pm.
With the inner track being prepared for the Ballarat Cup, Thursday’s card will be raced on the outer track with the rail out seven metres.
PLATELET has drawn grandstand for Friday night’s group 1 $1m Manikato Stakes, 1200m, at Moonee Valley.
The Darren Weir-trained mare will jump from gate 12 in the 12-strong field.
This included three runs in Adelaide in the autumn and first-up in the group 2 Schillaci Stakes, 1000m, at Caulfield.
BALLARAT harness racing trainer Emma Stewart keeps rolling out the stars.
Just a week after the stunning return of injury-plagued Phladelphia Man, Stewart will send another young gun Yankee Rockstar back to the races.
Yankee Rockstar has his first start since January at Melton in a C2-23 pace, 2240m, on Friday night.
david.brehaut@fairfaxmedia.com.au