It was the day Australia's most beloved mother came to town.
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The date was January 1979 and the venue was the Warrnambool Racecourse.
The occasion was a little more obscure, yet very important, as it was the running of the Purnim Races.
But it wasn't just any meeting, it was a centenary meeting to mark 100 years of the club.
And to salute the occasion, the club pulled of a coup by attracting a very, very special guest.
The biggest television show in Australia at the time was The Sullivans.
And its most popular character was the family's matriarch, Grace Sullivan, played by Lorraine Bayly.
And so it came to pass that Bayly accepted an offer from the Purnim Racing Club to attend their milestone meeting.
It was a masterstroke from the club, with a record crowd coming through the gate.
While many would have come for the races, there would have also been no doubt that a lot of people may have turned up at the races for the very first time, just to see the darling of Australian television.
Reports on the Monday in The Standard said Bayly had been a hit with racegoers, happily signing autographs and meeting her fans.
And as they say, while in Rome, so Bayly joined the masses and had a few bets with the local bookmakers.
But her luck was out, tearing up her tickets as her horse ran last.
