It might be running without a crowd, but that has not dampened excitement for the Scone Cup in the New South Wales Upper Hunter Valley this afternoon.
With $600,000 in prize money up for grabs, the iconic horse race will still be going ahead, but without the typical hubbub of eager punters and meticulously dressed fashionistas.
While the headline race will still be run on location in Scone, the remainder of what is Australia's richest country horse race carnival has been moved to Sydney's Rosehill Gardens.
Scone race club president Heath Courtney said with metropolitan jockeys restricted from attending due to rules around mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic, it paved the way for local talent.
"We're very fortunate in the Hunter North West to have a high-quality level of jockey anyway," he said.
"They get first dibs of the rides that they would at any normal meet up here, but obviously the prize money touching $600,000 is quite exceptional for them."
Mr Courtney said the coronavirus had not dented today's racing expectations.
"In the way of horses and all the big-name trainers and all that, they're all here," he said.
"The list of nominations is actually higher than previous years, even though they've been exceptional — about 230 nominations for the Friday meeting alone.
"The quality of racing will be great."
The lead up to the Scone Cup is usually a busy time for Vickie Asara, who has run a mobile cafe at the event for the past six years.
She said she would miss the colour and excitement of the crowd.
"It's going to be a quiet, quiet day," she said, "not seeing the people rushing in when the gates open, running to get their position at their tables and chairs".
"No crowd, no flags, no colour, no tables and chairs," Ms Asara said.
"Fashions on the Field — all the beautiful clothes and the boys in their suits and hats, the girls in their heels and their lovely jewellery — all gone."
Despite the missing crowds, for local racing enthusiast and former club president Bill Howey the nostalgia of a day at the races still lives on.
He said due to restrictions on racing worldwide, the televised Scone Cup meeting would go around the globe.
"The Scone Cup, since 1947, has become established as the largest single sporting event in the Upper Hunter," he said, "and as of now, internationally as well".
