THE annual Party with the Ponies race meeting will be held at Hamilton next Tuesday.

For 20 years the Hamilton Racing Club has hosted the annual Party with the Ponies event, a social day to help celebrate International Day of People with a Disability.

The club offers up a special day for the community with a big range of activities which includes arts and craft, face painting, Hamilton Community House activities, cake decorating, jumping castle and the forever popular Fashions on the Field.

The club is also providing some festive spirit for those wanting to dine on a Christmas lunch with a lovely two-course meal.

Tickets can be purchased through the club.

Racing is also a big part of the day, and while final fields were being finalised on Friday morning, an exciting day can be anticipated with over 430 nominations.

The big stables dominate the nominations, and you can expect most of the winners to come from those teams, but I will highlight locally trained runners in this column.

Casterton trainer, Jess Constantine, has two nominations in Monarabia and Bajraktari.

Monarabia is having its first run for the stable and did trial fairly at Camperdown in late October, while Bajraktari is first-up since winning at Terang on New Years Day.

Now an eight-year-old, the gelding is very lightly raced and does have good form on the track with a win and a second a couple of seasons back.

State Of Maine has been very consistent in her first preparation for Hamilton trainer, Charlotte Parker.

Since coming across from the Tom Dabernig stable, the mare raced well through the winter months which includes a win here back in September.

Recent runs have been solid with close-up finishes behind the placegetters here and at Ararat.

Another very consistent mare has been Americain Miss for Casterton trainer, Kaye Edwards.

Following a breakout win at Terang in August, the five-year-old daughter of Americain has placed at five of her next six starts including two placings on the track.

Edenhope trainer, Sharni Julian, has nominated two runners - Ready By Design who is struggling for form since joining the stable - and the ever consistent Enrico Pallazzo, who despite not winning often, continues to finish in the placings including a third here in October.

Rounding out the local entries are Dollar Bucks for Trudy Cottier, and Drone Strike for Matt and Louise Cooper.

Dollar Bucks is still searching for his Maiden win after 38 unsuccessful efforts, while Drone Strike is first-up since March.

Good punting.