A 1400m race will be named in honour of Bland, a respected trainer for more than 50 years, who passed away in Corryong on April 5, aged 87.

Race six, the Bonnie Bland Man ‘A’ Million Memorial Benchmark 64 Handicap, will also carry the name of the galloper, who provided Bland with Group 1 success at Caulfield on April 19, 1974.

Fittingly, the race will be contested over the same 1400m, which Man ‘A’ Million won his Group 1.

A memorial service for Bland will be held in the Mulqueen Family Chapel in Bendigo on Tuesday (April 24) at 10.30am.

The wake will be held in the BJC committee room on race day.

A field of 12 for the race includes two Bendigo-trained gallopers, Bee Jay Zed and Catechesis.

Trained by Shane Fliedner, Bee Jay Zed is having his second run back from a short spell.

The six-year-old gelding flashed home to finish second in his last start over 1200m at Cranbourne on April 13 behind Magnespirit, who has won two in a row for his trainer Wez Hunter.

He is joined in the field by the Bob Donat-trained Catechesis, who was third at her last start at Kerang on March 31.

Also eyeing success in the race will be Sutton Grange trainer Brent Stanley, who has his four-year-old Snipes chasing a third consecutive win, following successes at Cranbourne earlier this month and Benalla in late February.

Meanwhile, the BJC has moved to cater for the growing number of female riders by extending its female jockeys room.

Club chief executive officer Aaron Hearps said the extension would be used for the first time on Tuesday.

Five female jockeys are scheduled to ride – Nikita Beriman, Lucinda Doodt, Jessica Eaton, Linda Meech and Jessica Payne.

The first of eight races is at 1.30pm.