The Eastern Challenge, to be run at Warragul on Monday, was the last of Victoria's regional feature race series to be introduced in 1991.

While it has not existed as long as the Northern Region Championship, Central Victorian Championship or the Tontine Series (south-west Victoria), the Eastern Challenge boasts an honour roll stacked with quality.

Its original format, as with the previously mentioned regional features, saw qualifying heats run at member tracks of the former "eastern zone", namely Cranbourne, Kilmore, Traralgon, Warragul and Yarra Glen, with the annual final held on a rotational basis at one of those venues.

The inaugural series, programmed in the autumn of 1991, was originally known as The Gippslander, with the broader Eastern Challenge title introduced in time for the opening heat.

Yarra Glen had the honour of staging the initial Eastern Challenge Final, a support feature at its pacing cup meet in May 1991.

The Ganga, for popular trainer/reinsman Peter McCraw, took the honours, defeating Young Astaire and Show Glen.

The success of the Eastern Challenge would be replicated with smaller feature race series in the Eastern Zone over coming years, with heats and finals for trotters, three-year-olds and even claimers becoming sought after events year round.

These days, the Eastern Challenge is a stand alone race, but the guaranteed purse of $25,000 is an attractive lure for participants of up and coming pacers and Monday's race will add another worthy winner to the honour roll.

Monday's seven-event card also pays tribute to the former Warragul and District Light Harness Club, with many life members and volunteers attending as guests of Warragul Harness Racing Club.

The first race on Monday is at 12:53pm.

 

Pictured is Jasmine Sheffield and Lisa Miles after winning the Eastern Challenge at Warragul in 2015.