Nearly 160 riders will grace the track for the club’s marquee event for 2017.

They include reigning champion Ryan Kenney, from Melton, who is keen to defend the title he won in emphatic fashion last October.

Kenney was in outstanding form at the Bendigo club’s most recent motocross meeting on September 17, and according to club spokesperson Noel Clarke, will again be hard to stop.

“He’s been going well this season and was down at the track practicing (in September),” he said.

“Ryan’s faster now than he was last year, so he’s going to take some beating.

“He’s a stand-alone when it comes to club meetings, so he’ll be the favourite again.”

Melbourne’s Morgan Fogarty is also expected back after he finished second behind Kenney, while Jack Bayne heads the Bendigo club hopes after he finished just outside the placegetters in 2016.

“He was the club’s top performer last year and has been going pretty well,” Clarke said.

Steven Bowen, from Wallan, was third in last year’s race.

Riders will travel from across Victoria and some from New South Wales and South Australia.

Last year’s race was the first in two years after the 2015 event had to be abandoned.

Clarke said despite the one-year break, the popularity of the club’s premier event, which is run over two days, had not waned.

He was confident the track, which has been prepared by Avard Excavations, would be in “perfect” condition come Saturday.

“Last year we had a whole lot of wet weather, which we haven’t had this year,” he said.

“We haven’t been using the track a lot, but that’s due to the (Ravenswood interchange) road works.

“Passing is going to be a little bit of a hassle for us, but that will be all worked out.”

Racing will be conducted in several senior classes and include A, B, C open and lites, and over 40s all-powers and two-stroke.

Junior classes include 50cc, 65cc, 85-150cc and junior lites 125-250cc.

Clarke said the club had been fortunate to secure sponsorship from Elliott Bros of Bendigo, with prize money for the Cup rising to $2000.

The winner will walk away with $1000, with second to receive $600 and third $400.

The Ravenswood Cup will be the Bendigo Motorcycle Club’s final meeting for 2017, with a presentation day to follow in November.

Full catering is available at the track. Racing on Sunday starts at 9.30am.