Fillies join the dash for glory

Perhaps a sign of the time, there was no better way to celebrate Mount Perry Races' 100m Jocks Plate dash than inviting women in on the fun.

CROWD-PLEASER: For the first time in 20 years, women joined in on the fun on Mount Perry's racetrack with a fillies race. Picture: Felicity Ripper

RACING: Perhaps a sign of the time, there was no better way to celebrate Mount Perry Races' 100m Jocks Plate dash than inviting women in on the fun.

And while they kept their gear on, all bets were off when athletic women from rival sporting towns stepped on the track to show what they were made of.

Jessica Galea from Gin Gin was the inaugural winner, closely followed by Mikaela Ross in second place and Bec Kenny and Jude Bust in third.

Mount Perry Race Club's Joy Jensen said it was very much a spur-of-the-moment decision to have a fillies race.

"By the crowd lined up on the fences cheering them on, I think it was very well received,” she said.

"It's a lot of fun and a little foot race is a great way to finish the day.”

In the name of the game, the men stripped down to their jocks and for the third year in a row Will Schulke took out first place in the highly anticipated Jocks Plate.

He was followed by Brendan Pimm in second place and Wyatt Jones in third.

Mrs Jensen said the Jocks Plate was instigated 20 years ago when her son's rugby union team from Bundaberg came up with the idea.

"We used to race on Cox Plate day, which was in October, so that created a bit of a pun,” Mrs Jenson said.

"The jocks race is looked forward to every year and you can see that looking at the big crowd cheering their friends on.”

Mrs Jensen was impressed with the number of locals and visitors who came to support the Mount Perry Races.

While she didn't put it down to the hype around the Melbourne Cup's gold, she said there was a heightened sense of pride among patrons.

The gold used to make the 2018 Lexus Melbourne Cup was sourced from MtRawdon Gold Mine, just outside Mount Perry.

"Having the Melbourne Cup sourced from here has made people spark up,” MrsJensen said.

"I think there is a lot of pride in the town and I have never had so much interest from Brisbane.”