As Shadow Racing Minister before the 2010 state election, Dr Napthine and his Liberal and Nationals colleagues vowed to return cup racing meetings to six venues across the state, including Ouyen.

Just a few minutes after 8pm yesterday he stood alongside the connections of the 2012 Greggs Electrical Ouyen Pacing Cup winner Devlish Smile at the first of those six meetings to be reinstated.

It was a proud moment for all involved in getting racing back to Ouyen – government and community.

“I am absolutely delighted to be here today as the Racing Minister,” he said.

“And what a terrific day it is – the crowd is huge … huge.

“It is great to see the way the Ouyen community has responded to getting racing back to their town.

“There must be 1000 or more people here.

“The atmosphere is really positive, the local clubs and organisations are doing the gate and the food, and the track and surrounds are in great condition.

“It will be a boon for the whole town.”

An avid supporter of all three codes of racing – gallops, harness racing and greyhounds – Dr Napthine condemned the former Labor Bracks Labor Government for its decision to end racing at Blackburn Park in 2005.

“It was a double whammy for the community when the city-centric Labor Government took away harness racing from Ouyen and six other clubs,” he said.

“They added insult to injury by taking away harness racing and trying to add a toxic waste dump nearby.

“I’m glad the community stood up to them.”

With Ouyen done and dusted for another 12 months, Dr Napthine was now turning his attention to the return of racing at more venues.

Wangaratta and Boort will follow in March and later this year Wedderburn, St Arnaud and Gunbower will return.

He did not rule out an eventual reinstatement of further meetings at Ouyen – the club holds eight meetings in total including one at Tabcorp in Melton and six in Mildura – but said any decision was a few years away and was dependent on Ouyen drawing good crowds.

This article appeared in Monday’s Sunraysia Daily 23/01/2012.