This year, the Christmas races will have a feature race, which is the “Ceduna Waters Christmas Handicap”, which has 50 percent more prize money than other races on the day and will include a trophy presentation.

The Christmas Race Day marquees have been booked out for some time, which has delighted the Ceduna Racing Club marquee coordinator Samantha Wilkins.

“Our bookings this year have been fantastic, and we will likely have more marquees than any of our other race days in the past,” she said.

“The weather is looking great and there is every indication of a great crowd who should be enjoying themselves.”

The club has also had some improvements since last season, which has pleased their president Bruce Zippel.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work, but we have paved the veranda, installed air conditioning and also now have a completely new public address system” he said.

Included in the PA system are a series of speakers set just behind the trackside fence which according to club vice president Andrew Wilkins are designed to play background music for the day.

“We had it fed back to us last year that we needed some music playing in the background on race days, and so have decided to add that to our new PA system, which should be great,” he said.

The music will not play during races.

Fashions will once again be a key part of the day with Ceduna Pharmacy providing the prizes for the most Fashionable Christmas Filly and Colt, with Father Christmas also making a visit to the Kids Tent.

The club is also happy with the fields for the Christmas Races, which according to Andrew Wilkins when combined with two bookmakers, TAB and fantastic catering “should make for another great days racing at the Ceduna Racing Club”.