The 2025 Victorian high country picnic cup season commences on Saturday at Canni Creek, when the Buchan and Gelantipy Racing Club host the 138th running of the Buchan Cup.
It’s grass roots thoroughbred racing at its very best, the course set in magnificent bushland, where you can find just the right spot under the shade of a gum tree to place a rug to enjoy your BYO picnic lunch or you can arrange to pre-purchase a picnic lunch from the club.
The 2024 event recorded the second highest attendance ever, only beaten by the return following the Black Summer Bushfires, and there’s high expectations for this year’s running.
Club secretary, Robyn Sandy is looking forward to another great day.
“It’s a fantastic day with a real family-friendly atmosphere, with picnic race days provide an important social connection for regional communities and punters will no doubt find familiar faces in the crowd,” Sandy said.
Others arrange to meet family, friends or business acquaintances in the relaxed atmosphere, where the dress code is country casual, with almost anything going or there is the option to spruce up to compete in Fashions on the
Field.
The highlights of the day on track is the Buchan Cup, a 1900 metre race that attracts gallopers from New South Wales and Melbourne.
This years race looks like being a strong rendition with 22 entries, part of huge 93 received for the six event card.
The race starts in the home straight to the roar of the crowd, which becomes deafening when the field turns for home on the final occasion, punters hoping their wager might outsmart the local on course bookmakers.
Gippsland based trainers, like Ensay’s Rob Gillahan, Sale’s Sharyn Trolove and Traralgon’s Troy Kilgower are usually never far from the winners stall, as is Cooma visitor, Georgie Boucher.
The course is located on Bruthen-Buchan Road in Buchan South, where there will be prominent signs directing you to the Canni Creek race track, where parking is free and plentiful.
Gates open at 11am and the first race, the maiden plate, will start at 1.30pm.
Children under 16 have free entry.
If you cannot get to Canni Creek, the next scheduled picnic race day is Hinnomunjie Cup Day on Saturday, March 8, followed by the Tambo Valley Cup at Swifts Creek on Sunday, April 20.
