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By Mark Brassel

Dubbo’s feature event on Friday, the $40,000 Kings Hall Jewellers Silver Goblet, has gained a reputation as an excellent starting point for country youngsters.

The 1100m race for two-year-olds had its name put in lights following the runaway victory two years back of Gallant Star.

Gallant Star has since won the $150,000 Western Racing Country Championships at Coonamble in the autumn before sent out favourite in the $1m Final at Royal Randwick when fourth to budding star Know Thyself.

Gallant Star (Clayton Gallagher) powers away with the 2022 Kings Hall Jewellers Silver Goblet at Dubbo. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

He’s also the winner of the $250,000 Barn Dance at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day and has accumulated nearly $770,000 in prizemoney.

“The race was first run in the late 1980s under set weights and penalties conditions,” said Sam Fitzgerald, GM-Dubbo Turf Club.

“The first few runnings of the race were supported by several regional stud farms and the starting field was restricted to progeny of certain stallions who stood on those farms.

“The honour roll for the Silver Goblet contains many very good horses including Conscript (2020) who won a further six race wins including two at Randwick, and one at Rosehill and Canterbury.”

Other notable Silver Goblet winners include Plenitude (2023) who ran third in a Randwick Highway last Saturday week, as well as subsequent city winners Eiger (’19), Nuke (’18) and Ellie’s Encore (’17).

“On Silver Goblet Day, the Club will also hold heats for the Dubbo RSL Club Winter Country Classic run over 1300m at Benchmark 58 Handicap grade.

“The Final of the Dubbo RSL Club Winter Country Classic is on Sunday 29 June with the top seven finishers from the respective fillies and mares, and colts, geldings and entires qualifiers, gaining entry to the Final.

Friday’s program is a Racing NSW Showcase meeting boasting $280,000 in prizemoney with a further $100,000 cheque possible.

“We’ll have a heat of the Inglis Xtra Bonus Series for Country-only maiden gallopers on the card carrying an amazing $100,000 bonus if the horse is an Inglis graduate from 2023 and beyond and paid up for the Inglis Race Series.”

Meanwhile, Taree Racecourse is on the improve following severe weather and flooding that cancelled out the May 26 race meeting.

“The track has been upgraded to a Heavy 8 following a track gallop and a steward’s inspection of the track this [Friday] morning,” said Damien Toose, CEO Manning Valley Race Club.

Taree’s Wingham Cup Day on Thursday celebrates the township of Wingham located just 10 minutes away.

“As we know country racing is the grass roots level of the racing industry and it is from there that many of our industry leading lights have originated,” said Mr Toose.

“Wingham is no different in that it has provided its fair share of those, particularly local boy Corey Brown [winner of nearly 2500 races] who is also celebrated on the day with the running of the [$27,000] Corey Brown Cup.

“Being a Thursday race meeting might allow anyone thinking of coming up to the Mid North Coast for the races to take a few extra days and have a long weekend to explore what the area has to offer – there is always plenty to see and do!”

And Sapphire Coast Turf Club will stage its Winter Raceday next Sunday with free bus services running to and from the track where gates open at 11:45am.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Corowa, Warren
Tuesday: Moree
Thursday: Taree, Wagga
Friday: Dubbo
Saturday: Grafton, Parkes (non-TAB), Mallawa picnics (non-TAB)
Sunday: Sapphire Coast, Gulgong (non-TAB)