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The festivities continued at Sportingbet Park today with a bustling crowd of over 3,467 racegoers, as friends and families came together to celebrate a day of racing and cricket.
Usually run at Caulfield on Boxing Day, the races have fast become a popular Christmas tradition for locals and visitors alike but this year they were moved to Sportingbet Park [Sandown] due to the ongoing track renovation at Caulfield.
National Left-Overs Day saw many race-goers take to the front lawn to enjoy picnics of Christmas dinner leftovers in the sun, with trackside seats to watch Tried and Tired win the afternoon feature race, The Christmas Stakes.
Cricket fans kept connected to the Ashes-fever with the Boxing Day test shown on the big screen and via the many cricket-themed activities on offer throughout the day.
Proving particularly popular was the Champion Bowler Challenge which truly put their batting and bowling skills to the test within a life size bowling arena.
Paying respects to the late Australian Cricketer Phillip Hughes and showing support to other Australian’s living with acquired brain disorders, Melbourne Racing Club accepted gold coin donations within the bowling arena, raising funds for BrainLink Services, an organisation dedicated to reducing the impact of these disorders within the community.
Camp Australia kept the younger patrons busy with an array of fantastic arts and crafts activities, such as circus finger puppets and crown making, while the Junior Jockey inflatable track and the Slip, Slide and Ride inflatable offered hours of amusement.