The Wine Country Race Club is located at the Cessnock Racecourse, Newcastle in a region which has staged races since the late 1850s. The Newcastle Jockey Club has a long illustrious racing history and became associated with the Wine Country Club in 1981. Although there are up to a dozen meetings held on the Cessnock course annually, the recognised highlights are the Cessnock Cup over 1350 metres which was first held in the modern era as the ‘New Cessnock Cup’ in 1978, and the Jungle Juice Cup which was first run in 1981. The unusually titled Cup is named after Mel Jurd who developed Dr Jurd’s Jungle Juice at his Wollombi Tavern. The Cessnock Jockey Club, under its President Mr S Snape, opened their new racecourse on Saturday 13rd February 1924 and launched the Cessnock Cup over 1 ¼ miles.

Saturday 23rd February 1924
Cessnock Cup for £100 and a 20 guineas S Snape Cup over 1 ¼ miles
1. Lady Chrysippus owned by Mr W H Law and ridden by C Williams
2. Lord Dorrimore (7/1) owned by Mr R J O’Halloran and ridden by A Lennon
3. King Piedmont (5/1) owned by Mr W Turpin and ridden by C Mayo
7 ran

The next year the Cup was held on Saturday 21st February and was donated by Mr Fieldman.
Saturday 21st February 1925
Cessnock Cup £125 and £25 Fieldman Cup over 1 ¼ miles
1. Eugenine (7/1) owned by Mr G Bailey and ridden by E Thompson
2. Binaka (14/1) owned by Mr G F Nott and ridden by E C Reynolds
3. Bristol Fighter (20/1) owned by Mr T A Clarke and ridden by R Reeves
13 ran

The next year the Cup was also staged in mid-February when it was worth £135.
Cessnock Cup £135 and silver Cup donated by Mr Barney Duggan 1 ¼ miles
1. Elsieworth (8/1) owned by Mr W Gilmore and ridden by F Pratt
2. Dunraven (3/1) owned by K Mackay and ridden by E Thompson
3. Unumgar (5/2 fav) owned by Mr N Russell and ridden by D Treay
12 ran

Selected Cessnock Cup winners
(A full list of winners is available on request)
1978 Cessnock Cup over 1500 metres was won by Rosie Heir trained by Beaney Jones and ridden by Robert Thompson
1983 Cessnock Cup over 1500 metres was won by Full Alert ridden by Robert Thompson
1987 Cessnock Cup over 1500 metres was won by Gay Scene trained by Arthur Thompson and ridden by Robert Thompson
1991 Cessnock Cup over 1500 metres was won by Trevino trained by Arthur Thompson and ridden by Robert Thompson
1995 Cessnock Cup over 1500 metres was won by Hot Aussie ridden by Robert Thompson
2010 Cessnock Cup over 1350 metres was won by Planet Melmac trained by Robert Davies
2012 Cessnock Cup ($13,000) over 1350 metres was won by Beaveroo (4/1) trained by Stephen Schofield and ridden by Serg Lisnyy, beating Exploitable Doubt and Tippoff 9 ran
2016 Cessnock Cup ($14,410) over 1350 metres was won by Next Level (11/4) trained by Gary Portelli and ridden by Clunes Rocket 11 ran
2017 Cessnock Cup ($16,630) over 1350 metres was won by Invicta (9/4) trained by Ken Parker and ridden by Robert Thompson, beating I’m Danny and Tycoon Mar 7 ran

Selected winners of the Jungle Juice Cup
(A full list of winners is available on request)
1982 Jungle Juice Cup was won by Top Hat Joe ridden by Robert Thompson
1985 Jungle Juice Cup was won by Action Time ridden by Robert Thompson
1986 Jungle Juice Cup was won by Barzoon ridden by Robert Thompson
1988 Jungle Juice Cup was won by Justifiably Proud trained by Jeremy Sylvester and ridden by Robert Thompson
1989 Jungle Juice Cup was won by Desalante trained by Jeremy Sylvester and ridden by Robert Thompson
1992 Jungle Juice Cup was won by Pre Record trained by Jeremy Sylvester and ridden by Harry Troy
1993 Jungle Juice Cup was won by Mighty Rimin trained by Jeremy Sylvester and ridden by Robert Thompson
1994 Jungle Juice Cup was won by Beaucastel ridden by Robert Thompson
2011 Jungle Juice Cup ($14,625) over 1350 metres was won by Youthful King (15/2) trained by Jeremy Sylvester and ridden by Alison Threadwell, beating Falontino and Sly Lu 14 ran
2012 Jungle Juice Cup ($15,935) over 1350 metres was won by General’s Sniper (3/1) trained by Tracey Bartley and ridden by Robert Thompson, beating Never Doubt Me and Better Not Doubt 11 ran
2013 Jungle Juice Cup ($15,935) over 1350 metres was won by Youthful King trained by Jeremy Sylvester and ridden by Robert Thompson
2014 Jungle Juice Cup ($15,935) over 1350 metres was won by Youthful King (6/1) trained by Jeremy Sylvester and ridden by Robert Thompson, beating Aghamore and My Man of War 14 ran
2015 Jungle Juice Cup ($15,935) over 1350 metres was won by Youthful King (15/4) trained by Jeremy Sylvester and ridden by Robert Thompson, beating Collar and Slippery Moss 14 ran
2016 Jungle Juice Cup ($18,985) over 1350 metres was won by Ultima Choice (9/1) trained by Scott Collings and ridden by Greg Ryan, beating Three Sheets and Annandale Lass 7 ran
2017 Jungle Juice Cup ($19,555) over 1350 metres was won by Hammoon Boy (11/2) trained by Sue Grills and ridden by Chris O’Brien, beating Epic Dan and Court Victory 12 ran

ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3

652 pages

774 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0

352 pages

400 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7

180 pages

140 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4

264 pages

235 former courses