RACING returns to Murwillumbah on Friday evening for the first leg of Tweed River Jockey Club's (TRJC) summer triple-header.

Previously dubbed the Summer of Racing series, the local jockey club earned industry accolades last season for the meetings, including a finalists' nomination from Racing NSW for a country-regional award.

The three meetings will be conducted on December 16 and 27 and January 3, culminating in the awarding of $4000 to the most successful trainer.

The mid-December twilight meeting has become a popular mainstay of the club's racing calendar, with many local businesses using the late afternoon races to host their Christmas parties.

This year's entertainment will include a fashion parade, live music and sports commentator Mark Forbes in the role of master of ceremonies, plus free kids' entertainment.

In conjunction with local sponsors, the jockey club is proud to announce a full eight race TAB card totalling $160,000 in prizemoney plus BOBS breeding bonuses.

One of the day's feature races will be a 1200m open handicap Christmas sprint, which will draw quality runners from across northern NSW and south- east Queensland, as well as many local contenders.

Other drawcard events include a Benchmark 60 handicap over 1530m, and an 1800m Class 3 event.

The meeting will be the first since Melbourne Cup day and the weather forecast leading into Friday's meeting is for patchy but mainly fine conditions.

Murwillumbah racecourse received 56mm of rain earlier to 9am Thursday and track is currently a Soft 6.