Lachie Neal

What does the Bull have in store for us?

What's its place in country racing circuits?

Without doubt, this is the one.

This is the pinnacle event, as big as it gets.

We're less than a week out now.

Tuesday, we'll be down at Warrnambool for the three days, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, the annual pilgrimage.

There'll be more than 30,000 people on course over the three days.

And we see on Grand Annual Day on the Thursday, crowds of up to 14,000, 15,000.

It's become such an event and with renewed vigour and interest in the sport as well.

We've seen attendance spike over the spring and summer periods.

It's going to be a cracking three days.

We can't wait for it.

Who's the star horse?

Well, there's a few this year.

So Duke of Bedford was the star last year, taking out the double, the Briley steeplechase on the Tuesday, backed it up and won the grand annual, the marathon event over 5,500 metres, 33 jumps as well, seven or eight minutes spectacle.

And the crowd on the hill, it's a sight to behold.

They march up to the hill to take it in.

But

Duke of Bedford is going to be taking on the jumps champion, Stern Idol, who's taken all before him.

He returned with a wonderful performance.