The Gong 2022: Everything you need to know about Kembla Grange's $1 million horse race

The Illawarra Turf Club at Kembla Grange will host the fourth running of the $1 million The Gong, with a huge attendance expected for the annual event.

Turf club chief executive Peter De Vries said The Gong was always well supported.

"The crowds have been good even though the numbers were down [last year] because of the [COVID] restrictions," he said.

"But as far as the restrictions were concerned, we probably had capacity crowds in those years."

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Last year's event was huge for Kembla Grange trainers Robert and Luke Price and Theresa Bateup, whose runners saluted in The Gong's major races. The late Count de Rupee, ridden by Brock Ryan, claimed victory in The Gong's main race over 1600 metres, while Bateup's Divine Breath with Ryan onboard from a wide barrier won The Midway.

The Gong horse race was first run over 1600 metres at Kembla Grange in 2019 and is only one of a handful of $1m horse races in NSW. It was added to the end of the Sydney spring carnival, which also saw the launch of The Everest in October that year.

The Gong was designed to attract some of Australia's top horses.

"Not only did we have the local win [Count De Rupee] last year, but we have a local hope again [Hope In Your Heart] this year," De Vries said. "It gets people involved."

Racing is set to begin at 12.20pm, with The Gong earmarked for a 4.40pm start.

Away from the track, the Fashions on the Field competition is expected to attract a large number of entries. The winners and placegetters in three categories - best dressed lady, best dressed man and best hat - will share in $12,000 worth of prizes.

Last year's winners were Sally Martin, Jason Crockett and Erin Smith.

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Wet weather has threatened to put a dampener on this year's race day, but De Vries remains confident that it won't be an issue on Saturday.

"We had 20 millimetres on Sunday, six [Monday], but it looks like we will be back to a good four [rating]. [Track manager] David [Anderson] will be irrigating during the course of the week," he said.

"The Little Gong is open, it's part of the general admission area. I think with the way the weather patterns have been the past 12 months, people are hesitating and waiting to do to make sure it's not raining on the day. So I hope they phone up and organise pre-sales even for general admission to avoid a queue and wait on the day."

What you need to know about race day

Total prize money for The Gong horse race is $1 million.

Placing prize money

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