Newcastle Jockey Club chief Matt Benson hopes a predicted improvement in the weather will help boost crowd numbers at the inaugural The Hunter standalone meeting on Saturday.
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Benson said about 70 per cent of function areas had been booked for the program.
He said the club expected a crowd of between 5000 to 10,000 at Newcastle Racecourse, which is forecast to have a partly cloudy day with tops of only 23.
"I guess the X-factor is whether the tough week we've had weather-wise and with these bushfires is going to affect some people's ability to get here," Benson said of the predicted crowd.
Benson said the meeting was a chance to highlight Hunter racing, especially the Newcastle course proper which was the "best track in Australia by a large margin".
"We're excited because we want to be able to step up and do what the ATC [Australian Turf Club] can do as far as facilities for racing," he said.
"But I think Racing NSW and certainly Peter V'landys' vision was to give us a major event to highlight the benefits of a great industry.
"We've obviously had a pretty tough month in the media, but there's so many good stories in racing and I think it's our opportunity to celebrate that.
"And also acknowledge what a great job this area does in the context of the industry, in both breeding and racing."
