COONAMBLE RACECOURSE

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The New South Wales town of Coonamble, attractively named from the word ‘gamilaraay’ meaning ‘lots of faeces’, lies on the Castlereagh Highway to the north-west of Gilgandra. Today the town has a population in excess of 2800 and has its own well-supported racecourse where racing is administered by the Coonamble Jockey Club. The earliest record of racing in the vicinity of Coonamble was in the mid-1860s when the ad-hoc meetings took place on what is the airfield today, but in those days was Geanmoney owned by Mr Patrick McMahon. After a number of these informal meetings the organisers formed the Coonamble Jockey Club and moved their races to Warrena Street.

Local Patrons Coonamble Jockey Club
Principal Races Coonamble Cup, Jockey Club Handicap, Town Plate

Races were first held on the present day racecourse on Easter Monday 1878, with a further meeting staged on Friday 14th June 1878 when the results of the feature races were:-
Castlereagh Handicap:- Radical defeated Harkaway
Buchanan Cup:- Admiral beat Warwick
Town Plate:- Star defeated Busy Foot
Jockey Club Handicap:- Harkaway beat Radical and Sir Roger

By the turn of the century the Club introduced the Gold Cup with winners from the early years shown below:-
1908 The Coonamble Cup (£150) over 1 ¼ miles was won by Partirdge (6/1) owned by Mr A T Hardy, beating Ben Buckley (6/1), owned by Mr J M Parkinson and ridden by McLachlan, and Credit (5/1) owned by Mr W M Keogh and ridden by Hood 11 ran
1909 The Coonamble Cup (150 sovereigns) over 1 ¼ miles was won by Claude (12/1) owned by Mr J Humphries of the Collie Inn and ridden by Gullum, beating Dalrymple (6/1), owned by R Thurston and ridden by Parkinson, and Claude Loftus (7/1) owned by Mr C Moulden and ridden by Fields 13 ran
1910 The Coonamble Cup (175 sovereigns) over 1 ¼ miles was won by Orthus (5/1) owned by Mr J Birtles and ridden by Ryan, beating Aragain (10/1), owned by Mr A E Smith and ridden by Madigan, and Claude Loftus (2/1) owned by L Mac Smith and ridden by Lillyman 11 ran
1911 The Coonamble Cup (150 sovereigns + cup valued at 50 sovereigns) was won by Chevron (5/1) owned by Mr J H Humphries and ridden by Wood, beating Othone (5/1) owned by Mr L Morton and ridden by Lamond, and Valkyrie (20/1) owned by Mr T Doyle and ridden by Doyle 13 ran

Recent Coonamble Gold Cup winners
(A fully detailed list of winners, odds, trainers on request)

1959 Gold Cup was won by Victorio ridden by N Colvin
1960 Gold Cup was won by Just Trixie ridden by R Selkrig
1961 Gold Cup was won by Our Add ridden by A Seymour
1962 Gold Cup was won by Zend ridden by N Munsie
1963 Gold Cup was won by Prolific ridden by J Dougherty
1964 Gold Cup was won by Travel On ridden by G Podmore
1965 Gold Cup was won by Gaivid ridden by H Williams
1966 Gold Cup was won by Paradise Inn ridden by C Kelly
1967 Gold Cup was won by Nowarji ridden by W Camer
1968 Gold Cup was won by Able Scholar ridden by R Quinton
1969 Gold Cup meeting was abandoned due to wet weather
1970 Gold Cup was won by Coney Letter ridden by L Bradley
1971 Gold Cup was won by Boorang ridden by M Johnston
1972 Gold Cup was won by Bell’s Ben ridden by D Frahm
1973 Gold Cup was won by Jardel ridden by R Kelly
1974 Gold Cup was won by Barker Boy ridden by G Baird
1975 Gold Cup was won by Merry Nearchus ridden by L Bradley
1976 Gold Cup was won by Gooree Star ridden by G Coe
1977 Gold Cup was won by Bresway ridden by F Carpenter
1978 Gold Cup was won by Skidoo ridden by R Bradley
1979 Gold Cup was won by Gay Island ridden by P Molloy
1980 Gold Cup was won by Good Mark ridden by W Gallelty
1981 Gold Cup meeting was abandoned due to wet weather
1982 Gold Cup was won by Foreign Knight ridden by R McGrath
1983 Gold Cup was won by Silver Bacon ridden by N Ward
1984 Gold Cup was won by Rajes Lover ridden by D Firth
1985 Gold Cup was won by Top Clip ridden by Ms L Andrews
1986 Gold Cup was won by Metric Prince ridden by H Troy
1987 Gold Cup was won by Peaceful Joe ridden by AG Robinson
1988 Gold Cup was won by Parragundy ridden by J Nixon
1989 Gold Cup was won by The Krillionaire ridden by H Troy
1990 Gold Cup was won by Imber ridden by M Lowe
1991 Gold Cup was won by Knight Tides ridden by G Nock
1992 Gold Cup was won by Orange Kid ridden by S Seamer
1993 Gold Cup was won by Master Patrick ridden by A Lordon
1994 Gold Cup was won by Lucky To Be ridden by W Aspros
1995 Gold Cup was won by Fox Road ridden by L Beasley
1996 Gold Cup was won by Guard’s Time ridden by T Bartley
1997 Gold Cup was won by Al Rateb ridden by T Bartley
1998 Gold Cup was won by Chivas ‘N’ Regal ridden by G Ryan
1999 Gold Cup was won by Mack’N’ Me ridden by GW Weate
2000 Good Cup was won by Merchant Bank ridden by G Snowden
2001 Gold Cup was won by Bitcede ridden by G Ryan
2002 Gold Cup was won by Solid Mandala ridden by B Hull
2003 Gold Cup was won by Marfoo Star ridden by P Graham
2004 Gold Cup was won by Walk The Beat ridden by K Dunbar
2005 Gold Cup was won by Juerga ridden by AW Robinson
2006 Gold Cup was won by Juerga ridden by MA Cahill
2007 Gold Cup meeting was abandoned due to equine flu
2008 Gold Cup was won by Miss Alberta ridden by G Ryan
2009 Gold Cup ($19,500) over 1600 metres was won by Newton’s Rings (7/2) trained by Jeff Englebrecht and ridden by Hari Singh, beating Tora Tora Tora and Camiling 9 ran
2010 Gold Cup ($19,500) over 1600 metres was won by Prussian Secret (5/2) trained by Leon Davies and ridden by Greg Ryan, beating Kwilas Law and Zattero 9 ran
2011 Gold Cup ($19,500) over 1600 metres was won by Altonio (15/8 fav) trained by Leon Davies and ridden by Greg Ryan, beating Temperate Prince and Open Skies 10 ran
2012 Gold Cup ($23,560) over 1600 metres was won by Clever Hans (15/8 fav) trained by Leon Davies and ridden by Kody Nestor, beating Conch and Temperate Prince 10 ran
2013 Gold Cup ($23,560) over 1600 metres was won by Fox Solid (7/1) trained by Garry McCarney and ridden by Kody Nestor, beating First Class Ticket and Sergeant Bilko 8 ran
2014 Gold Cup ($23,560) over 1600 metres was won by Private Taber (9/1) trained by Peter Nestor and ridden by Dale Spriggs, beating Are You Sure and Dusty’s Felt 14 ran
2015 Gold Cup ($23,560) over 1600 metres was won by Dark Mojo (10/1) trained by Brett Thompson and ridden by Jacob Gilchrist, beating Sooner Or Later and Couperin 14 ran
2016 Gold Cup ($25,200) over 1600 metres was won by Can I Have (7/4 fav) trained by Allan Denham and ridden by Peter Graham, beating Brilliant Poet and Something Borrowed 13 ran
2017 Gold Cup meeting was abandoned due to heavy rain

Course today The racecourse continues to operate very successfully.
If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com

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

Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent.
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