THE Hamilton Racing Club is on a new path forward, as crowds start to return to race meets.

Peta Anderson has taken over as club manager and as the busy spring and summer period of racing dies down, the new addition to the club said she had enjoyed a change of scenery.

“It was a pretty full-on start, because of the music festival.

“I started Boxing Day and the music festival started on I think it was December 30 and it went for three days, and I have had two race meetings now and we have got jumpouts (today) as well.”

Having been involved in major animal events in the past, she said it was an opportunity to continue to learn new things which attracted her to the role.

“My previous role was as the Business and events manager at Hamilton Pastoral and Agricultural Society,” Anderson said.

“I have also worked at Royal Melbourne Show for five years.

“So, I have spent a lot of time organizing horse events and so it is something I like to do and I have got lots of experience in events, so it is combining those two and I just think the race club has a lot of potential which hopefully I can play a part in.

“It has been really good; it has been nice to do something new and different and learn new things along the way so far.”

Monday’s race meet was the second one under Anderson and the next one is set for just before Easter.

“We are going to try a new thing for the April 3 event,” Anderson said.

“We are calling it an Easter Harvest Fair and we will have an Easter egg hunt and some other things.

“We haven’t had people at the races for the last few years, so we are just keen to get people and families back to the races after so long.

“We welcomed back our members at this week’s event.

“Going forward, getting people back into attending the races again, that is my main focus, then we will look at doing improvements and try other things going forward.

“I think they have been really keen to get back, we said to the members that we wanted them to come back, and we had about 50 people at our function, which is quite good for a Monday meeting.

“It is not going to be a hard sell; I think people are keen to just get out and about again at this point.”

Anderson said she expects the worst of the restrictions are behind us and is planning a big year of events, culminating in the Hamilton Cup and the return of the Party with the Ponies event.

“Most people have realized it is just something we have got to live with,” she said.

“The racing industry was able to race the whole time, but with restrictions in place and without crowds, so I think people know it is something that will be with us for the foreseeable future, and we just need to be mindful.”

The club is also weighing up reopening the stables at the track to assist local trainers.

“We have great facilities for training and the committee is looking at getting trainers into the racecourse again,” Anderson said.

“They are working on that which is a good opportunity for anyone who might be interested in training in Hamilton.”