Last year 10,800 flocked through the gates and record turnover was taken on the tote, and if the weather stays good for the rest of the week, HRC secretary-manager Brian Fletcher is confident of topping that.

A total of 108 nominations have been received for the bumper eight race card, including three $100,000 races – the Listed Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m), Rowley Mile (1600m) and Woodlands Crown (1300m).

“Everything indicates that we’re on target for another good meeting,” Fletcher said.

“Last year was an exceptional meeting and if we can get to that level again we’ll be more than happy – turnover broke all records, the crowd was great, racing was good.

“We’d be hoping to get in the 10,000 vicinity – we’d rather have the crowd comf-ortable than be greedy and have it shoulder to shoulder.

“The thing we’re praying for at the moment is good weather, the past week has been great and we just don’t need bad weather.

“It’s the biggest event on the Hawkesbury calendar, the district is broadcast to the whole world – this meeting goes to America, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, England and New Zealand.”

Garry White’s outstanding mare November Flight will be back to defend her Crown title, and Fletcher said she would take beating, while revealing Sydney’s top two trainers in Gai Waterhouse and Peter Snowden would be launching an all-out assault on the meeting.

“If November Flight is back on her game she will be the one to beat in the Woodlands Crown,” he said.

“Joan Pracey has Queen and Country in the race as well and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her run very well.

“All the big names will be here – Gai is bringing Group 3 winner Royal Discretion for the Guineas, Party Crasher and Rabukka for the Rowley Mile, and Fancyfree for the Woodlands Crown.

“Peter Snowden will have runners in every race, plus Bart Cummings, Graeme Rogerson and Jack Denham, as well as the locals.”

The Hawkesbury Guineas has undergone a change this year to set weights, and it has paid immediate dividends with Royal Discretion being nominated.

“The change to set weights for the Guineas looks like paying off because you’ve got Royal Discretion who’s won a Group 3 race, he probably wouldn’t come because he’d be weighted out,” Fletcher said. “We’ve done our homework, the course staff, the ground staff, we’ve got everything ready to go, it’s just a matter of getting good weather to ensure everything works successfully.”

Off the track, the HRC has more than $400,000 in prizes to give away, including gift bags to the first 2000 people on course.

The fashions on the field will run again, with the best dressed couples category finalists to be picked by judges’ invitation at the gate.