Patrons at Birchip on Sunday will experience everything that’s great about a country harness racing meeting and then some. 

Horses and drivers will go to battle eight times around a traditionally tight 805-metre circuit. Fans will be front-row throughout, packed into a course creating an almost unrivalled atmosphere, able to hear every shout of a driver and pound of hooves.

There'll be shouting in the bar, too, sure to be a popular resting place for many, and in the betting ring, which at a venue like Birchip can be a throwback to the hive of activity seen on racetracks in times past.

The Old Melbourne Road band – itself featuring a trots trainer/driver in David Murphy – will be playing tunes throughout the afternoon on the lawn, with family picnics and kids’ entertainment aplenty.

“I think the crowd’s going to be a bumper,” Birchip club secretary Brad Sharp said.

“We had 1200 the first year and 1100 to 1200 again last year. I think we’ll beat that this year. We’ve had over $18,000 worth of sponsorship gathered. We’ve got three people who want to sponsor races that I can’t fit in this year. It’s unbelievable all the support we get from within the town.”

Sharp said Birchip’s great "country atmosphere” was one of its most powerful charms and added the club was thrilled to have eight races up for contest.

Listen to this morning’s edition of One Out, One Back via RSN by clicking the below link.

Check out the Birchip fields