Bob Murray – who is the sole trainer in the area – recalls the days of 50 horses in work in surrounding towns and a handful of jockeys' to pick from to ride them in the morning.

The majority of them have since moved on to different areas of the Sunshine State to pursue their interests in racing.

The Murrays remain at Eidsvold and their passion and love for the sport keeps it ticking along in the area.

The Eidsvold Race Club committee is stacked with people that all share the same surname – Murray - while Bob is the only licensed local horseman who prepares a regular runner around the state.

"It is not a real racing town, Eidsvold, we do not even have a TAB," Murray said with a laugh.

"If you want to have a bet you need to go to Monto or Mundubbera.

"If you took our family out of the town, I am not sure the race club would survive.

"I would hope it could but I am not sure.

"It is a nice quiet little town."

To put it in context, Bob is the only trainer who regularly has runners in the area.

That includes Biggenden to the south, up to Monto, which includes Gayndah and Mt Perry, and the surrounding areas all the way out to Bundaberg and Gympie.

It is the biggest week on the Eidsvold calendar – as well as many of the surrounding towns – with the running of the 2022 Eidsvold Cup.

Vanessa Murray – who is the club's treasurer and secretary – detailed just how synonymous her family is to thoroughbred racing in the area.

"Everyone comes to back the Murray horses," Vanessa said.

"They usually have at least one winner every year, we hope.

"People in the area follow the Murray horses and are always checking the results to see how they have gone when they have travelled horses to other towns."

Vanessa was not involved in the gallopers at all until she met her husband, who is Bob's nephew. 

"It is in their blood," Vanessa said.

"I married in to it, I had no idea about race horses before I met these guys (laughs).

"All the boys ride, they all come out and ride track work, they are very much into it.

"I had my strappers licence for a few years as well, I used to help at the races."

While Vanessa and Bob are the prominent Murrays these days, there were many generations before them that laid the foundations. 

Bob's grandfather and father both trained.

His late grandfather prepared his gallopers on a full-time basis out of Gympie, while Jack Murray – Bob's father – bred their horses from their property on the banks of the Burnett River.

While they love their gallopers, their main focus is their cattle interests, which pays the bills for them to be able to dabble in the horses on the weekend.

Local racing enthusiast John Lusk looks forward to seeing Bob's father Jack at the track as he stands out amongst the crowd.

"He has been around for a long time, Bob is of the Murray family, who are extremely well known," Lusk said.

"Bob's father Jack is still here in town and will be at the races on Saturday, he is there rain, hail or shine, there is no doubt about that.

"Jack is the best dressed man at the races every year, by far."

When Bob's grandfather passed away, Jack took over the training duties, before eventually handing the operation over to Lyle Murray.

Lyle put the polish on the horses for some time before opting to focus on the administration side of the sport – now the president of the local club – with Bob looking after the family stable.

"To have people on your committee that are interested in racing, it makes everything work well," Vanessa said.

While Bob has many good years left in him, he is in the process of readying the next generation of Murrays to continue the legacy in Eidsvold and the wider North Burnett region.

"My two sons ride track work, as does my nephew, who has shares in a few horses, as well," Bob said.

"They are all interested together in the racing game.

"Everyone enjoys it, if I can't make it to the races, one of the boys takes the horses."

Ahead of Saturday's big Cup meeting, Bob has nine gallopers nominated across the five event program.

As is usually the case in small regional towns, all eyes are on the Cup itself, which Bob is aiming to win for the second straight year.

He has won it a handful of times over his tenure.

It was seven-year-old gelding My Certain who handed the Murrays a local Cup triumph 12 months ago and it is again the veteran middle-distance runner this time around.

My Certain also claimed the Gympie Cup last year.

With the race a qualifier for the Country Cups Challenge Final, the Eidsvold Cup for 2022 has attracted as strong a field for the event the club has seen in many years.

My Certain beat a field of six runners last year, with nine accepting for the race before three scratching's.

This time around, as many as 18 are ready to go around before acceptances are called on Thursday morning. 

Bob understands his galloper is facing a tough ask this Saturday on his home track but believes he is up to the contest.

"It was good to win the Cup last year, I was pleased to win with him as he is a nice little horse," Bob said.

"He has had a couple of runs this time in and he is as good as he was last year.

"But, seeing as it's a qualifying race, I think the field will be a bit tougher than what it was last year but they will know he is in it.

"These qualifying races are great; they are fantastic incentives for trainers in the bush and you have to have a go at them if they have horses good enough."

With the strong interest in the Eidsvold Cup this year, Bob believes the extra motivation for races such as the Country Cups Challenge Final in town later this year are excellent for the growth and interesting in country racing.

Better Idea for the Murray stable contested the Final of the 2018 Battle of the Bush, which was won by Mason's Chance. 

They would most certainly head to town once again if My Certain was to be successful on Saturday.