WARIALDA RACECOURSE

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The New South Wales town of Warialda, on the banks of Warialda Creek, lies in the Northwest Slopes region of the state. The region was originally inhabited by the Weraerai Aboriginal people until the first European settlers began to arrive in 1827 when Allan Cunningham visited the area. However, it was a further decade before the town started to develop.

Local Patrons Warialda Jockey Club, Railway Amateur Racing Club
Principal Races Warialda Cup, Warrialda Town Plate Handicap

By mid-century the town had its own racecourse with racing certainly staged on Friday 1st July 1853 when the Warialda Purse was the feature event. However, some results from that early meeting were:-
Warialda Purse £12:- Scratch owned by Mr Higgins
Stockman’s Purse £8:- Aaron owned by Mr Snape
Hurry Scurry Stakes £7:- Bones owned by Mr White
After racing dinner was served by the host Mr Geddes at the Warialda Inn.

The next year a much grander meeting was organised on Thursday 21st December 1854, although the crowd was small owing to the busy period of the year for households. Everywhere was very dry, the vegetation disappearing in every quarter and immense bush fires sweeping the surrounding area clearing the old grass. Despite these setbacks the meeting went ahead.
Thursday 21st December 1854
Warialda Purse £13

1. Crockford owned by Mr Rose
2. Strike-a-light owned by Mr Anderson
3. Sultan owned by Mr Hallam
Christmas Bracelet £11
1. Planet owned by Mr McPhail
2. Kate Hughes owned by Mr Geddes
3. Dido owned by Mr White
Stockman’s Purse £9
1. Billy Grey owned by Mr Holms
2. Strike-a-light owned by Mr Anderson
3. Susan Grey owned by Mr Beal

By the turn of the century a two-day meeting was held on 16th and 17th May 1900 organised by the Warialda Jockey Club, with over 200 in attendance on the first day alone, including visitors from Inverell, Moree, Gravesend and Bingara.
Tuesday 16th May 1900
Opening Handicap for 15 sovereigns over 6 furlongs

1. Maxim (4/1) owned by Mr J Cross
2. Turret (6/4 fav) owned by Mr H R Munro
3. Ynot (2/1) owned by Mr J Jamieson
Warialda Town Plate Handicap for 25 sovereigns over 1 mile
1. Melba (2/1) owned by Mr J H Dawson and ridden by Tucker
2. Miss Trenton (6/4 fav) owned by Mr R Norman and ridden by Boyd
3. Maxim (5/1) owned by Mr J Cross and ridden by Burrows
Warialda Sires Produce Stakes over 6 furlongs
1. Goldfinch owned by Mr A Williams
2. Ruth owned by Mr G H Gordon
3. Quiz owned by Mr H J Hughes

In the early to middle part of the 20th century a number of racing clubs staged meetings at the racecourse alongside the Jockey Club. The Warialda Amateur Race Club were active until 1929, but were revived again in 1935, hosting a meeting on Tuesday 19th February 1935. Winners at that meeting were:-
Oregon Handicap over 5 furlongs:-Linglespear (Evens fav) owned by C Bayly and ridden by Bundock
Clonard Novice Hurdle Handicap over 4 furlongs:-Lady Joan (4/1) owned by W Burling and ridden by Carver
Gunyerwarildi Bracelet over 6 furolngs:-Linglespear (4/6 fav) owned by C Bayly and ridden by Bundock
Agincourt Handicap over 5 furlongs:-Uween (Evens fav) owned by T Brodie and ridden by Hunt
After the meeting had ended a well-attended Ball followed in the evening at the Memorial Hall, dancing to the strains of Cavanagh’s Orchestra.

On Wednesday 27th November 1935 the Railway Amateur Racing Club were not as successful with their meeting when the crowd was limited. However, once again the most successful combination was Linglespear, his owner C Bayly and jockey Bundock.

Today the town boasts a population in excess of 1,200 inhabitants and benefits from its own racecourse where racing is administered by the Warialda Jockey Club. The principal race on the calendar is the Warialda Cup over 1400 metres which is traditionally held on the second Saturday in April.
Recent Warialda Cup winners
(A full list of winners is available on request)

2009 Warialda Cup ($3,500) over 1400 metres was won by Tollado (9/4) trained by Arthur Craig and ridden by Jessica Drury, beating Norma Delargo and Brackley Heath 8 ran
2010 Warialda Cup ($3,500) over 1400 metres was won by Glenbarra Boy (7/4 fav) trained by M A Corliss and ridden by Ms L Menser, beating Crowntreno and Theatre Street 6 ran
2011 Warialda Cup ($3,500) over 1400 metres was won by The Aviator (7/4 fav) trained by Stephen Dixon and ridden by Craig Franklin, beating Mountain Brew and Kid Paleface 8 ran
2012 Warialda Cup ($3,500) over 1400 metres was won by Miss Chancesxaar (7/1) trained by John Smith and ridden by Robert Agnew, beating The Bargain and Rhodonite 8 ran
2013 Warialda Cup ($4,080) over 1400 metres was won by Studio Star (7/2) trained by Sue Grills and ridden by Sophie Young, beating The Early Bird and Joppick 9 ran
2014 Warialda Cup ($4,080) over 1400 metres was won by The Early Bird (5/4 fav) trained by Gavin Groth and ridden by Leanne Henry, beating Danewin Girl and My Amalfi 6 ran
2015 Warialda Cup ($4,080) over 1400 metres was won by Playa (5/2) trained by Nathan Sinclair and ridden by Darren Jones, beating Uno Joker and One Double 10 ran
2016 Warialda Cup ($4,080) over 1400 metres was won by Medal of Glory (9/2) trained by Jane Clement and ridden by Rachael Murray, beating Sambora and Dungiven 10 ran
2017 Warialda Cup meeting was abandoned after 4 races when Montague Clan fell in the Warialda Sprint knocking jockey Darren Jones unconscious. Unfortunately his injury proved to be fatal.

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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