Punters will again flock through the gates of Stawell Racecourse on Easter Sunday for the running of the Stuart McGregor Stawell Gold Cup.
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The headline race will be for a pool of $70,000, with Prince Ziggy - trained by Jamie Edwards and ridden by Jake Noonan - one of the favourites.
Locally trained five-year-old gelding Barry the Baptist is an outside chance after strong showings at recent meets in Bendigo and Melbourne.
Stawell-based trainer Paul Jones was pleased with his horse's preparation leading into the race.
"We're happy with him, he seems well going in to the cup. His first two runs have been good over short journeys," he said.
"And he hasn't fared too badly going out to the longer distance. With a bit of luck he's going to be up and around the top."
The last locally-based horse to win was Mujadale, trained by Dane Smith and Jack Hill, in 2017.
"Everyone always aspires to win their home-town cup. It's a good race, with good prize money and it's just over the road, so we'll be happy to go there," Jones said.
Stawell Racing Club Operations Manager Mark Percival said this year's local offering looked promising.
"There's looking like there's going to be a great contingent of Stawell-based horses on the track. Terry O'Sullivan, Paul Jones and Dane Smith all have horses that are in form going towards the cup and it would be great to have another local victory," Percival said.
"There's an unbridled joy that you get when a local wins because the crowd feels part of it, no matter what the price is going in, because they feel this connection to it."
Off the track there is plenty planned for punters and families, including kids activities and the chance to show off at Fashion on the Fields.
"We take great pride in the day we put on for the patrons and seeing families and friends having a great time is what we're looking forward to," Percival said.
"I don't know whether I'm building it up, but we're just proud to be part of an iconic weekend of Australian sport."