The New South Wales town of Deniliquin, at the intersection of the Riverina and Cobb Highway, lies close to the Victoria state border, some 450 miles south west of Sydney and almost 120 miles north of Melbourne. The earliest inhabitants of the area were the Aboriginal Barapa Baraba tribe, although the first European settlers arrived in 1843 when a land mass was acquired by Benjamin Boyd. Today the population of Deniliquin is almost 7,000 and the town runs its own very successful racecourse. Originally racing was administered by the Deniliquin Jockey Club which was formed in 1872, although there is evidence of racing in the vicinity of the town at least 25 years before the Jockey Club was formed. Indeed, those early races were at Edward River, with a three day meeting on 5th to 7th May 1848, followed by 2 day meeting for the next few years. For the races on Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd April 1851 entries had to be registered with the Secretary in Deniliquin, followed by declarations at the Wanderer Inn, Deniliquin by 21st April 1851. A two day meeting was held at Deniliquin racecourse, the year before the Jockey Club was formed, on Thursday 4th and Friday 5th May 1871 when the Stewards were Mr A A Jennings, Mr William Kennedy, Mr William McKenzie, Mr Theodore Watson, Mr A W F Noyes and Mr Frederick Parker. The grandstand was full on each of the two days of the meeting, and key results are shown below.

Thursday 4th May 1871
Deniliquin Handicap (40 sovereigns) over 2 miles
1. Lancashire Witch owned by Mr Watt and ridden by Sullivan
2. Panmure owned by Mr Servoir
3. Huntsman owned by Mr Crae
8 ran
Publican’s Purse (30 sovereigns) over 1 ½ miles
1. Lancashire Witch owned by Mr Watt and ridden by Yeomans
2. Hector owned by Mr Ashcroft
3. Foam owned by Mr Harper
Friday 5th May 1871
Deniliquin Town Plate (40 sovereigns) over 2 ½ miles
1. Panmure owned by Mr Servoir
2. Lancashire Witch owned by Mr Watt
3. Rochester owned by Mr Cramsie
Deniliquin Hurdle (40 sovereigns) over 3 miles
1. De Vesey owned by Mr Wolsely
2. Sunshine owned by Mr Boyle
3. Donovan Brown owned by Mr O’Shannassey

The next year the Jockey Club was formed and a two day meeting was staged on Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th May 1872 with principal race results on each day shown below:-
Deniliquin Handicap over 2 miles was won by Huntsman owned by Mr Crae, beating Rochester and Yellow Jack
Publican’s Purse was won by Mozart, beating Doctor and Wisdom
Deniliquin Town Plate was won by Huntsman, beating Rochester and Wisdom
Deniliquin Hurdle Race was won by Devlay, beating Winchester and Yorkshireman

By the turn of the century the Deniliquin Jockey Club had ensured that the Deniliquin Cup over 1 ¼ miles was the highlight of the racing year. Early years of the century winners are shown below.
1900 Deniliquin Cup (£50) over 1 ¼ miles was won by St Trella (4/1) owned by Mr S King and ridden by J Newton, beating Rivanche (4/6 fav) and Mat (4/1) 7 ran
1901 Deniliquin Cup (£50) over 1 ¼ miles resulted in a dead-heat between Tara (6/1) and Apparition (5/1) with Connelstream (5/1) in third. In the run-off Tara was successful by a head. 9 ran
1902 Deniliquin Cup (£50) over 1 ¼ miles was won by Miss Trenchant (3/1), beating Homespun and Uncas 8 ran
1903 Deniliquin Cup (£50) over 1 ¼ miles was won by QED owned by Mr F W Comitti, beating Reform and Spectre
1904 Deniliquin Cup (£50) over 1 ¼ miles was won by Kintail owned by Mr Morran and ridden by McDonald, beating Burraneer and Sunrise
1905 Deniliquin Cup (35 sovereigns) over 1 ¼ miles was won by St Trella owned by Mr S King and ridden by Woods, beating Donald Mac and Uncas 9 ran

In April 1930 Mr Pat Humphrey, an amateur jockey from Forbes, won 5 races, capturing the Members’ Plate, the Deniliquin Cup, Ladies’ Bracelet, Second Breeders’ Plate and Farewell Plate.

Today racing is organised by the Deniliquin Racing Club, hosting two meetings annually on race dates popular throughout the country, the highlight of the racing year being the Deniliquin Cup over 1400 metres which is traditionally held on the third Saturday in October.
Recent Deniliquin Cup winners
(A full list of winners is available on request)
2009 Deniliquin Cup (£9,100) over 1600 metres was won by Firetime (5/2) trained by Liz Aalbers and ridden by Andrew Bloomfield, beating Old Songs and Aussie Bomber 6 ran
2010 Deniliquin Cup (£6,500) over 1600 metres was won by Aussie Bomber (6/4 fav) trained by Rick Freyer and ridden by J Baldock, beating Work The Body and Turn Him Loose 7 ran
2011 Deniliquin Cup (£4,200) over 1600 metres was won by Gentleman Jim (Evens fav) trained by Stephen Theodore and ridden by Robert Beattie, beating Form A Crown and Aussie Bomber 7 ran
2012 Deniliquin Cup (£4,540) over 1400 metres was won by Limbo Dancer (3/1) trained by Tommy Lanyon and ridden by Simon Miller, beating Redial and Undiscovered 6 ran
2013 Deniliquin Cup (£5,820) over 1400 metres was won by Brillanconi (9/2) trained by Anne Maree Curran and ridden by Michael Heagney, beating He’s An Angel and Mystical Bond 6 ran
2014 Deniliquin Cup (£5,820) over 1400 metres was won by Shadow Tales (9/4) trained by Gwenda Johnstone and ridden by Michael Heagney, beating Leveraction and Stynes 7 ran
2015 Deniliquin Cup (£5,820) over 1400 metres was won by Defenceman (6/1) trained by Emma Steel and ridden by Matthew Milford, beating Smoken Cash and Leveraction 7 ran
2016 Deniliquin Cup (£5,900) over 1400 metres was won by Lingo (6/1) trained by Craig Conron and ridden by Jason Lyon, beating Marchello and Lordfontein 7 ran
2017 Deniliquin Cup (£5,825) over 1400 metres was won by Shy Frank (100/30) trained by George Osborne and ridden by Ms Mikaela Lawrence, beating Correggio and Make Mine Brandy 9 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