The Ouyen horse trainer is eagerly anticipating the $25,000 Greggs Electrical Ouyen Pacing Cup which will be run for the first time in seven years at Blackburn Park after being forced to relocate to Mildura since March 2005.

But in that time the local horse racing industry in Ouyen has taken a hit since the Brumby Government’s decision to shut down six harness racing venues, including Ouyen.

Interest in horse ownership, breeding and racing has died down because of the commitment required to travel the 100 kilometres to Mildura rather than Ouyen.

Expenses involved in preparing and maintaining horses, even for hobby trainers, has become too much and has forced farmers away from the industry since being forced to relocate to Mildura.

Jardine said interest in harness racing pre-2005 was high as local farmers would buy horses from the market because they could race at Ouyen.

“Being a horse-breaker and trainer, it has died right off since they shut it down, I hardly get any local horses to break-in now, they all come from away,” he said.

“With Ouyen being in the centre of the Mallee a lot of farming people would come into the town for the meeting, which creates interest, but that all died when we lost the meetings,” he said.

“I used to have quite a few people stay at my place to let horses there and they would book in to the motels and spend money in town which was good, but that side of it we lost.”

But all that is set to change this Sunday with the eight-race meeting sparking interest from Melbourne, Adelaide, Ballarat and Horsham trainers, and more than 1000 race-goers expected to flock to Ouyen for the weekend.

A quality field has been assembled for the cup, including South Australia’s best pacer Ohoka Nevada, while leading Victorian trainer Glenn Douglas has two hopefuls with the talented Jukebox Music and last year’s cup winner Our Hillview Gold.

Jardine said the return of harness racing to the district would prove to a be a great money-spinner for the local community.