Latest News

By Mark Brassel

Two Wild Cards will be staged for the first time in the Newhaven Park Country Championships following Racing NSW’s announcement of the venues and dates for the 2023 series.

In the seven years of the Country Championships just one Wild Card has been held at either Muswellbrook or for the first time at Scone this autumn.

Cavalier Charles after winning this year's Newhaven Park Country Championships Wild Card at Scone. Image by Bradley Photographers

But Racing NSW responded to requests that many in southern regions such as Wagga and Goulburn were disadvantaged and had to travel vast distances to compete in the race for the final two berths in the $500,000 Final run at Royal Randwick.

Consequently, there will now be two $150,000 Wild Cards run at Goulburn (Southern) on 17 March and at Scone (Northern) two days later.

Total prizemoney for the Country Championships is now a whopping $1.85 million.

The 2023 Country Championships qualifiers span six Sundays and two Saturdays with the Final staged on Day 1 of The Star Championships at Royal Randwick on Saturday 1 April.

The Series kicks off on Sunday 12 February with Tuncurry-Forster hosting the Mid North Coast qualifier for the first occasion.

Coffs Harbour then holds the Northern Rivers qualifier on 18 February before Moruya stages the South East edition the following day after being selected for the first time.

Moruya had held a qualifier in 2020 but it was transferred from Nowra due to wet weather. Moruya Jockey Club’s CEO, Ken Brown said: “It will be a huge day for us and is certain to promote tourism in the area.

“We anticipate around 2000 people attending and about half of those will come from outside the Eurobodalla Shire.”

The Southern Districts qualifier heads back to Albury, after two years at Wagga, on 25 February and the day after it’s Mudgee’s turn for the Central Districts.

“We feel privileged to be hosting the Country Championships again,” said Albury Racing Club’s CEO, Steve Hetherton.

“The Series has really built momentum down here in the Riverina with it having been at Wagga for the past couple of years. We’re looking forward to making it a massive raceday next year.”

Tamworth hosts the Hunter & North West qualifier on 5 March and a week later Coonamble holds the Western region’s race prior to the Wild Cards.

Racing NSW has also amended the Wild Card conditions that now requires horses afforded a start in their regional qualifier must contest that race, unless scratched with a vet’s certificate or withdrawn for reasons otherwise approved by Racing NSW.

Meanwhile, Tuncurry-Forster holds one of its biggest meetings of the year on Friday with the feature the $35,000 Inspirations Paint Forster & Tooheys XXXX Gold Cup (2100m).

Tuncurry-Forster Jockey Club’s president, Gary McQuillan, said: “The Club has free buses running to the from the course with the Fashions on the Field sponsored by Heidi Beau in Forster.”

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Kempsey, Queanbeyan
Tuesday: Scone, Wellington
Thursday: Lismore
Friday: Tuncurry-Forster, Goulburn
Saturday: Armidale, Griffith, Collarenebri (non-TAB)
Sunday: Coffs Harbour, Dubbo