Sport
6 November, 2025
Shaun's big tilt towards Pacers Cup
Drivers from across the state will ascend on Lord Nelson Park on Sunday, all ready either take out the McNaulty Racing Pacing Cup or BSL St Arnaud Sporting Club Trotters Cup.
THE St Arnaud Harness Racing Club is setting the pace - and trot - this weekend as it gears up for its biggest day in its calendar.
Drivers from across the state will ascend on Lord Nelson Park on Sunday, all ready either take out the McNaulty Racing Pacing Cup or BSL St Arnaud Sporting Club Trotters Cup.
And local brothers Jason and Shaun McNaulty are hoping to uphold their namesake and take home another win at home.
But despite Jason winning the Trotters Cup in 2022, Shaun is hoping to bring the same amount of excitement with his pacer.
“It’s not finalised that we’ll be in it, but we’re pretty confident,” Shaun said.
“It would be pretty awesome to win it, especially being our home track. It’s everything you want.
“To us, it’s a big race.”
Shaun said while he may have a bit more passion for his trotters, exemplified in his four goes at winning the Trotters Cup at St Arnaud, he felt it was time to give pacing a go.
“We’ve been training for eight years, three years back home in St Arnaud, so it was time to give it a crack.”
Shaun said preperation didn’t really change much.
“We usually race them three times a week, but we just need to pick who we’re taking and give them the fortnight off leading up to it,” he said.
“You still need to keep them fit in those few weeks, but just a little differently.”
St Arnaud Harness Racing Club secretary Kaye Boyd said organisers were praying for the right conditions going into Sunday’s meeting.
“We’re really looking for good weather,” she said.
“If we don’t get the perfect conditions, you can’t have a race.
“And with good weather brings a bigger crowd.
“We’re very lucky that the locals are very supportive of us.
“People tend to front up on the day even if they have no connection or prior interest, they’re not trotting people.
“We have beautiful facilities that we can fill, and it’s always amazing to see them so full.
“The atmosphere really is fabulous.” Ms Boyd said she was keen to see a good, competitive spread of drivers again this year.
“Last year we had 89 horses in, so we’re hoping for the same, if not more,” she said.
“Nominations come out [today], so we’ll see where we’re at.”
There’s an opportunity for the driver and trainer with the most points on the day to take home a $2000 cash prize each.
As if a day of racing wasn’t enough, there will be plenty of incentives to get people trackside.
“People get most excited about the chance to win a $4000 holiday of their choice, it’s always a popular one,” Ms Boyd said.
“It’s always guarenteed to bring a bit more excitement to the day.”
Purchase a $10 membership for the chance to take home this prize.
All trainers can also take home a $50 fuel voucher each as well.
The track will also celebrate 70 years, since opening in March 1955, on the weekend.
Ms Boyd said days like these couldn’t go ahead without community support and the hard work of the club.
“We have a great group of workers doing their part to make everything run as smoothly as possible. We also can’t do this without our sponsors,” she said.
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