And just like that, Dubbo’s hottest event of the year is done and dusted.

But the good news is, it went off without a hitch and the Mercedes-Benz Queen of the West Ladies Race Day will be back in 2024.

Unlike any other race day in the region, the event concept was the brainchild of Dubbo Turf Club general manager, Sam Fitzgerald, who simmered over the idea for 12 months before deciding to execute.

“There are similar races at Wagga, Muswellbrook and Port Macquarie, however combining the race with a ladies day event was, in my opinion, critical to the success of the event moving forward,” he told Dubbo Photo News.

“We are very fortunate to be allocated some great race dates from Racing NSW however we didn’t have an opportunity to host a ladies day style event given the prominence of our Gold Cup, Derby Day and Melbourne Cup meetings.”

“This event was designed to give us a fourth significant feature race with a heavy focus on quality racing and hospitality.”

With the Queen of the West marquee the trackside star of the show, Mr Fitzgerald leant on the expertise of some of Dubbo’s finest creatives to ensure the cowboy chic affair was high-end and luxurious.

Mr Fitzgerald first gathered the local collaborators in January, which included One More Event, Kate Porter Design, Nat Salloum Photography, Soul Food Depot Narromine, Once and Floral by Abby Schofield, and Taylormade Events, and the team worked hard for five months to bring the event to life.

“It was a stroke of luck that all our schedules aligned, and we had a common goal to create a unique and unforgettable event.”

And that it was.

More than 1,500 people flooded through the gates of the racecourse on Saturday, with the marquee hosting 260 of those.

Thrilled with the response, Mr Fitzgerald has confirmed the Queen of the West will become an annual occurrence.

“The first ever Queen of the West exceeded even my expectations,” he said.

“We were absolutely blessed with the weather and had a strong crowd who enjoyed a great day of racing and hospitality.”

“The idea is that this race and event will become an ongoing important social and community event moving forward.”

“I think we laid a solid foundation for growth moving forward whilst maintaining that focus on presenting a high-end and high-quality event.”

Lastly, Mr Fitzgerald said the event never could have happened without the generous support of this year’s sponsors; Arrowfield Stud, Mercedes-Benz Dubbo, Four Pillars Gin and Phylli Designs, along with the Fashions on the Field contributors; Jade Boutique, Harry’s for Menswear and Yarrabar Cottage.