Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club general manager Stephen Hodge eagerly awaits the mammoth Boot weekend.
The iconic Wellington Boot.
Richest race in the West
IT’S JUST 15 days to go for the ‘Richest Race in the West’, the Wellington Boot - an 1100 metre race for two-year-olds with prizemoney of $200,000.
This will be the 46th Boot Racing Carnival and the third sponsored by Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club and it’s shaping up to be one of the best two-day racing carnivals organised by the Wellington Race Club.
The carnival begins with an eight-race card on Friday, April 10 - featuring the Over The Line Racing Iron Horse Handicap run over 2400 metres with prizemoney totalling over $40,000 which attracts some of the best ‘stayers’ from around the state.
Then it’s back to the Soldiers Club for a Chisel Barnes Show that night featuring tributes to Cold Chisel and Jimmy Barnes.
Saturday, April 11 is a racing lay-day, but all the golfers and friends will be out at Wellington Golf Course for a four-person Ambrose competition before heading to the Soldiers Club for the Wellington Boot Calcutta.
From 6pm Calcutta tickets will be for sale prior to a fun evening featuring special racing personalities including jockey legend ‘Miracle’ Malcolm Johnson who loves coming to the Boot weekend, and the gentleman of riding, Greg Ryan, a Wellington boy who became a champion.
With them will be NRL great, Gary Freeman.
Featuring at the Calcutta is the Tooheys Guys and Dolls Challenge open to people 18 to 30 years who will be guests of Wellington Race Club, Tooheys, Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club, Eliza Whiteley Optometry and the Wellington & District Leader.
Read more in our 8-page 2026 Wellington Boot Showcase lift-out out now at our regular outlets,