Miracle Mal Ready To Light Up Narrandera Cup Carnival

Mal 'Miracle' Johnston will combine three of his greatest passions when he heads to Narrandera for the Narrandera Cup Carnival on the weekend of July 11-12 - racing, golf and plenty of socialising.

A man made for the limelight, Johnston will be the Narrandera Race Club's special guest at the inaugural Narrandera Cup Golf Day and annual Calcutta on Saturday before attending the time-honoured Narrandera Cup Race Day on Sunday.

Best known as the jockey who partnered Australian racing legend Kingston Town through one of the sport's greatest eras, Johnston enjoyed an incredible association with the champion galloper between 1979 and 1982, including three Cox Plate victories and a host of other Group 1 successes.

"I absolutely love it, and I love the limelight," Johnston laughed.

"I get a real thrill out of attending race meetings and events like this. People never forget Kingston Town, and racing people still love talking about him. Because of my association with that horse, it's something very special."

The Narrandera Cup Carnival begins with what promises to be a bumper Ambrose event at the Narrandera Golf Club, and Johnston said no trip would be complete without squeezing in a round of golf.

"I'll have a great weekend, and it all starts with the golf day and Calcutta," he said.

"I'll be playing in the golf day, and I wouldn't go anywhere without my golf clubs. I play twice a week. I'm not very good, but I absolutely love it.

"Then we'll head to the Calcutta (at Narrandera Ex-Servicemen’s Club) and who knows how that will turn out, but I'm expecting a massive night."

Sunday's feature race meeting is headlined by the $70,000 Narrandera Cup and the $40,000 Narrandera Yarraman Sprint, while racegoers can also enjoy Monochrome Masterpiece Fashions on the Field, live entertainment and plenty of off-track attractions.

Johnston believes country race meetings remain the lifeblood of their communities.

"I remember the old days, and a lot of these meetings have fallen by the wayside because it's too easy for people to sit at home and have a bet on their phone," Johnston said.

"There's nothing worse than going to a race meeting and not seeing crowds or bookmakers. Meetings like Narrandera are special because the community gets behind them.

"It's great to see Narrandera investing in the weekend to ensure the meeting not only survives but continues to thrive and grow."

For those making the trip to Narrandera, Johnston hopes plenty of people will stop for a chat.

"I love having a photo and talking about all those good days," he said.

"I want people to walk away from the golf day, Calcutta and race meeting saying, 'I got to meet Malcolm Johnston.'

"If people have a great weekend, they'll be the first ones lining up to come back next year."

There are still opportunities to be involved across the Narrandera Cup Carnival.

For more information, visit the Narrandera Race Club's social media pages.

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