This is the third and final article looking at current active regional tracks in New South Wales. A brief review will be undertaken of the history of a club (previous/closed/current).
Regional Tracks –
Orange is a city in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, 254 kms (158 miles) west of Sydney.
The Orange Driving Park Club formed in 1889 and raced at the Associations Grounds which always featured a trotting event at the five meetings it conducted from their inaugural meeting on 1 May 1889 until 1891. The club boasted one hundred and twenty members in its formative days.
The Central Western Districts TC formed in 1909 and was the forerunner to the Orange TC. On 4 December 1915 the first meeting of the Orange TC was held at the Orange Showgrounds. On Saturday 24 November 1928 the Sporting Weekly edition of the Orange Leader Sporting reported on the six race programme meeting :
“ORANGE TROTTING CLUB.
Successful Spring Meeting.
Fine weather, with a light, cool breeze blowing, were the ideal conditions that existed, this afternoon, for the Spring meeting of the Orange District Trotting Club.
As promised by the splendid nominations, the fields were big in practically every race, and the big crowd that attended were regaled with one of the best afternoon’s racing yet provided at the popular track. Times were good, and keen finishes provided their element of excitement.
There was a big field of bookmakers, who all appeared to do an excellent business, as also was the case with the tote. The track was in first-class order, while arrangements, in general, were such as to allow nothing but success thanks to the ever-active work and interest of the secretary …..”
Highlands Paceway is the current Orange HRC venue with a 714m track and 150m straight it was first used in 1964. Holding only three meetings per season by 2013, this was a fifty per cent increase on what was initially scheduled for the club. Two TAB meetings were hosted in February 2013 and a non-TAB meeting on Interdominion Grand Final Day, Sunday 3 March 2013. 8 February 2015 was Banjo Patterson Cup Day and the final use of this track.
The 1800m Towac Park thoroughbred track established in 1870 features a heritage listed grandstand and entry arc. Located three kms from Orange township, it hosted Orange’s two annual February harness race meetings from 2017 – 2019 including Banjo Patterson Cup. In 2016 and 2020 these meetings were held at Bathurst Paceway.
Penrith a city located in Greater Western Sydney, 50 kms (31 miles) west of the Sydney CBD on the banks of the Nepean River, on the outskirts of the Cumberland Plain.
The area of a cleared meadow directly down from Thornton Hall which was referred to locally as Smith’s Paddock was formed into a trotting track. In 1920 this old trotting track was converted to the Penrith Speedway and later officially named Belmore Park after its transformation into a Speedway track. The first events were held by the Western Suburbs Motor Cycle Club the same year. The first time the track was used for motor car racing was 1924 continuing until 1941 when a section of the track and property adjacent to the railway was taken over by the army for a proposed siding. Defence activity obliterated much of the speedway embankment and track.
Earlier several historical sporting events took place in Belmore Park :
а) encouraged and supported by Thomas Smith and later Sydney Smith, Lord Sheffield’s English Cricket Team played a Nepean District side at Smith’s Paddock on 17 February 1892. The Mayor of Penrith TR Smith was reported to have paid each English player an inducement of £100
b) first Hot Air Balloon flight in Australia took off from Smith’s Paddock in 1892. The first airfield in Australia was established in 1910 by George Taylor at Belmore Park. The first successful cross-country aeroplane flight in Australia was made from Belmore Park to Moore Park, Sydney (47 miles) on 18 November 1911. The pilot Will Hart was subsequently issued with the first Australian pilot’s licence (No. 1) in December 1911
c) land around Thornton Hall became Penrith’s official golf course in 1938 and continued as such until the Army took over the land in the 1940s. The golf course included the centre of the speedway
The 805m river sand Club Paceway Penrith was opened under lights on 16 April 1964 before a crowd of 7,000. Despite its new £42,000 grandstand, many facilities were incomplete. The club was officially known as the Nepean A.H. and I Society. The lighting system was completely upgraded with additional poles improving the lighting. Trials were held to test the lightning which met with the approval of owners, trainers and drivers. On Thursday 19 February 2015 newly upgraded track lights were turned on for the first time since the Carnival of Cups meeting held on 19 December 2014. A new stables complex was the next amenity improvement undertaken at Penrith.
Thursday 26 February 2015 Penrith HRC hosted the final three heats of the 2015 World Drivers Championships. Heat winners were former dual World Driving Champion Jody Jamieson, Canada [2] and Knud Monster, Denmark. The series then returned to Tabcorp Park Menangle for the finale (heat twenty).
A feature race for the Penrith HRC is the Renshaw Cup competed for since 1969 – winners over the past decade include Tiger Tara, Yayas Hot Spot, Smolda, Blazin N Cullen and Washakie.
Peak Hill is a town in Parkes Shire in the Central West of New South Wales located on the Newell Highway and the Dubbo to Parkes railway line.
The Peak Hill Showgrounds hosted its first trotting meeting on 28 July 1926. Its 1077m track with 164.5m straight was one of the larger trotting tracks in NSW. The first Peak Hill TC was formed in May 1951 holding its inaugural meeting on 25 August the same year with prize money of £60 per race for all six races run.
Peak Hill is synonymous with the name “Machine Brick” named after the first brick making machine in Parkes. Machine Brick’s dam Gert and another mare were exchanged for two bottles of whisky from a thirsty traveller in 1914 at Aubrey’s Baldry Hotel. The union of Rock Huon of Tomingely (north of Parkes) and Gert produced a champion colt of placid nature.
Machine Brick had a big impact on harness racing throughout Australia and New Zealand. He was owned by Jim Aubrey and raced by Geo Powter and became one of Australia’s best pacers following his win in the 1923 Sydney Thousand from an 85 yard handicap in a record time of 2.13.5. His record included twelve Sydney wins (Epping** – 8; Victoria Park – 4), Sydney Thousand and an Otahuhu Cup (NZ). He established an Epping/**Harold Park 1½m record of 3:17.0. His bloodlines produced many champions such as Paleface Adios (Machine Brick sire of his fourth dam).
Local Rosewood Stud was at one time the second largest breeder of standardbreds in Australia. The Peak Hill area was responsible for the breeding of horses such as Barney Alto, King Auto, Peak’s Promise and Silver Peak.
Parkes is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales. Parkes has a rich history as one of the longest running trotting clubs in Australia commencing operations on 7 June 1909 although as reported in The Referee of 16 June 1909 trotting had been established in the area for many years :
“Mr J.E. Mullampy, connected with trotting in the Parkes-Forbes area for twenty five years, was given a dinner at Clifford’s Hotel prior to his departure to Queensland as an official of the Queensland Trotting Club”.
In 1917 Parkes spent £54 on erecting a new tote building, by the 1920s, it had become one of the most important trotting centres in the Commonwealth of Australia.
The Parkes district produced many champion horses including Sydney Thousand winners from the district Cole Boy and Lee Ribbon. Leading state trainers and drivers including the legendary Jack (JD) Watts (son Colin), WS Mazoudier, George Leister and Wally Townsend came from the Parkes district.
Well known stud farms in the area included one owned by Alf Woods where Wirra Walla stood and two of the longest in operation in Australia :
- Rosewood Stud established in 1930’s by WD Hando at Peak Hill continued to be operated by the Hando family where leading stallions stood included Peak Hill, Silver Peak, Lucky Western, Tarport Bill, Powerhouse Lobell, Shipps Fella
- WH Dumesny converted his ‘Ruby Vale Stud’ at Alectown from a Draft Horse to a Standardbred Stud the Dumesny family continued to operate until its sale in 2007. Top stallions that stood at Ruby Vale included Master Dixie, Southern Brigade, Bashful Hanover, Amerigo Hanover, Langus Hanover, Insubordination, Explorador, Royal Chef, John Street North
In the 1930s the Parkes club moved to the Showgrounds where a half-mile track was laid. The move from the previous site at London Road involved transporting forty horse stalls to the showgrounds and building a judges box, tote house and other necessary facilities.
A track upgrade in 1950 was followed in 1952 by Parkes becoming the first venue west of the Blue Mountains to conduct a night trotting meeting when a trial was held. The opening night under lights took place on 1 January 1953 with an estimated 5,500 in attendance.
In 1968 the first dead heat recorded at Parkes came three years after the photo finish camera had been installed occurring in a heat of the Western District Trotting Association Championship. Following an initial postponement due to five inches of rain having fallen, two horses (Bermuda Chief and Magic’s First) fell with less than a lap having been completed before champion Riverina three-year-old, Glenerrol (Roy Harpley) chasing his eighteenth consecutive win struck trouble dislodging Harpley from his sulky. In an exciting finish, Sky Boy (Sid Joyce) which had led was joined right on the line by Cocky Raider (Jack McWilliam) with the judge declaring a dead heat after being unable to split them after reviewing two developed prints. Half a head back third was one-eyed pacer Vensmore Nelson (Bill Sutton).
On 1 January 1987 an upgraded lighting system was officially opened and later funding was approved by the Harness Racing Authority for the reconstruction of the Paceway costing $150,000 (track sizing 767m; included erection of a sight fence) with work completed in August 1990 with the official opening of the new track taking place on 24 November. In July 2020 it was announced that Parkes Showground was to receive $58,000 to replace its harness racing track and arena lights and clean the showground’s other lights including floodlights.
On 31 December 2018 Parkes Harness Racing Club celebrated 110 years of trotting. The clubs official celebration coincided with their annual Carnival of Cups Series meeting at Parkes Showground. The night ended with a New Year’s Eve fireworks display, a feature of the past three years meetings.
Feature events on the Parkes annual calendar include the New Year’s Eve Carnival of Cups (Parkes Cup 1955 – 2013; Parkes Show Cup 1913 – 1941); Elvis at the Trots meeting (January – part of week long annual Parkes Elvis Festival which attracts 20,000 visitors), Australia Day meeting (26 January) and Trundle meeting (May).
Tamworth a city and administrative centre of the North Western region of New South Wales situated on the Peel River. The second largest inland city in New South Wales and 318 kms (198 miles) from the Queensland border, located almost midway between Brisbane and Sydney.
The Golden Guitar Paceway is located at the Tamworth Showgrounds, the track having a circumference of 750 metres with a 150m straight, 18 metres in width with a turn radius of 72 metres. A foundation of clay and granite sand, the top racing surface layer is black crusher dust. Opened in 1969 (initially as Tamworth and New England TC) on a then 600m track, it became the Tamworth HRC in the late 1970’s. The track was upgraded to its current 750m in 1987.
The club hosts thirty TAB meetings per year with official trials held on Tuesday evenings. Golden Guitar Paceway is available for training either on a permanent or casual basis with short or long term stabling available in the Paceway Tamworth stabling facilities. Training facilities are also available at the nearby Moonbi Recreation Ground Paceway, a registered Harness Racing NSW training facility.
Raceday facilities at Golden Guitar Paceway include a covered grandstand seating 350 including bar; grassed area for BY0 seating; covered area for on course bookmakers; tote; main and stables canteens; SKY 1 and numerous television screens.
The clubs feature meetings/races held during January include Golden Guitar (since 1979), Star Maker 3yo (since 2014), Gold Nugget (since 2001; Karloo Mick winner 2013) and Tamworth City Cup (since 1972; Thorate winner 1991).
Temora is a town in the northeast of the Riverina area of New South Wales, 418 kms (260 miles) southwest of Sydney. The history of harness racing in Temora goes back over 100 years while it is believed that an executive committee was formed in 1904. The Temora Showgrounds were opened in 1911 by the Show Society.
The Sydney Morning Herald of Monday 29 September 1913 reported :
“TEMORA TROTTING CLUB.
TEMORA. Saturday.
The Temora District Trotting Club held its ninth meeting on Saturday in glorious weather…”
The day’s events consisted of a seven race programme including a Ladies Bracelet, Sulky Trot, Novice Hcp and Publicans Purse. The Showgrounds track was used in the earliest days while the old six furlong thoroughbred racecourse operating from 1923 was used for 1925 and 1939 Temora Pacing Cups and 1941 NSW South West Championship. Exact details of use of this track and the earlier days at the Showgrounds are unknown.
The 747m Temora Showgrounds track came back into use from at least the running of the 1944 Temora Pacers Cup with the club finally incorporated in 1976. Its current sand loam track has no sprint lane as part of its 127m straight with 240m radius turns. The Temora TC hosts up to five meetings annually. Feature race at the Showground Paceway is the Temora Pacers Cup held in January as part of the Carnival of Cups. “Mini Trots” for the children are run during all five Temora Trotting Club race meetings with members of other local Mini Trot Clubs including Leeton, Albury and Canberra competing.
Temora’s proud racing tradition is reflected by the Temora Tornado, champion pacer Paleface Adios, a local legend in Temora. A champion to many Australians, Paleface Adios greatest victories included QLD/NSW/VIC Derbies, Sir Clive Uhr Championship twice, Miracle Mile, Winfield Gold Cup, eight ID heats and two ID Consolations among his one hundred and eight wins of which three came at Temora. His significance to Temora is illustrated by his life size monument placed in Paleface Park in Temora’s main street.
Other elite performers at Temora Showground Paceway included Wilveranji, both a 2:10/2:05 performer in 1941 (2:03.0TT) and Van Wyr, 2:05 performer in 1946 (2:06.8TT).
Wagga Wagga (informally called Wagga) is a major regional city in the Riverina region of New South Wales straddling the Murrumbidgee River. Wagga Wagga is NSW’s largest inland city located midway between the two largest cities in Australia, Sydney and Melbourne.
In well over one hundred years since harness racing commenced in Wagga Wagga, racing has been conducted at two locations. The Wagga Showgrounds first hosted trotting events for the Riverina TC in 1907 on a half mile track. The Wagga TC held its first meeting on 22 June 1911 and at its February 1912 meeting Australian record holder Dan Patch won the main race.
The Wagga Harness Racing Club was formed in the early 1950’s, the first race meeting being conducted on 18 December 1953. The Wagga club raced at the Showgrounds for sixty five years on an 823m granite sand track that ultimately including a passing lane within its 165m straight. On Tuesday 24 February 2015, seven heats of the 2015 World Drivers Championships were held at Wagga (Goulburn heats transferred to Wagga due to insufficient available horses). Heat winners were eventual World Drivers Champion Dexter Dunn, NZ who won the first three heats, Jody Jamieson, Canada, Tim Tetrick 2, USA and Tony le Beller France. The final meeting held at the Wagga Showgrounds took place on 12 December 2018.
The Committee for Wagga sought an arrangement for the relocation of the Showground to a more suitable alternative location that would serve the Show Society, its event patrons and the community in a more beneficial way. It would enable the re-purposing of the current site for the long term benefit of the Show Society and the City. The Showground facilities were aged and located on an under-utilised parcel of land in close proximity to the CBD area and medical precinct.
The Showground is a triangular parcel of land bound by Bourke Street, Urana Street and the Melbourne/Sydney rail line. The land area of 17 ha (56 acres) was owned in trust by the Wagga Wagga Show Society. When originally established the Showgrounds were located on the outskirts of the central business area, however residential growth and commercial development had since surrounded the site. Land adjacent the Showgrounds owned by the University would be sold and likely developed as infill residential housing. The development of a new trotting track at North Wagga Wagga resulted in the Showground losing a key tenant further impacting its long term viability. In July 2019, the Wagga Wagga City Council released its Health Precinct Master Plan for public comment. This precinct is immediately adjacent to the existing Showground.
The Wagga Harness Racing Club relocated to its new site in Cartwright’s Hill at the 1071.5m Riverina Paceway in North Wagga Wagga in February 2019.
The first meeting was held at Riverina Paceway on 18 February 2019, prior to the official opening on Sunday 10 March 2019. The first race held at the complex was won by El Aguila for Goulburn trainer-driver Neil Day (Australia’s World Drivers representative in France in 2013).
The Wagga Pacers Cup has been run annually from 1954; Wagga Oaks since 1986 and Wagga Derby since 2013. The new track has already seen some lightning fast times recorded, the quickest to date being the 1:51.8 recorded by Star Major (1740m) on 2 October 2020.
West Wyalong is the main town of the Bland Shire in the Riverina region of New South Wales, located 467 kms (290 miles) west of Sydney and situated on the crossroads of the Newell Highway between Melbourne and Brisbane, and the Mid-Western Highway between Sydney and Adelaide.
The West Wyalong Showgrounds hosts the West Wyalong HRC on their 804m red loam track (originally 607m). The Showgrounds site has grandstands, pigeon shed, trotting track, football field, cutting, drafting and rodeo grounds.
Young a town in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales and the largest town in the Hilltops Region is situated on the Olympic Highway approximately 2 hours’ drive from the Canberra area.
The first meeting of the Young TC was held on 29 August 1914 at the Young Showgrounds.
Young Witness – Sat 10 March 1923 (six races) reported :
“The success of the Young Trotting Club March meeting next Wednesday is assured. The nominations are in excess of expectations, and include the best performers in this part of the State. Horses are coming from Orange, Wyalong, Junee, Cootamundra, Woodstock, Temora and elsewhere. There are 65 nominations and each event will be well contested. In three races there are fourteen, fifteen and sixteen respectively. The first race will start punctually at 2 o’clock. A pleasant outing is assured, and a big attendance is expected. At night a social concert will be held in the Oddfellows Hall … “.
The original Young Cup was run between 1923 and 1927, the McMillan starting machine was used for first time at a Young meeting on 21 July 1927. Trotting was originally conducted by the Young A&P Association with show racing forming part of the show exhibitions since the 1940’s. The 787m crushed rock Young Showgrounds raced under lights commencing Saturday 27 February 1954 being the tenth country NSW track to do so. The races then were run right handed with a wooden inside running rail and overhead lighting while the stables were the sheep pavilion.
The Young Trotting Club was formed as an independent body from the Young A&P in August 1975. Racing switched to being left handed in 1983 requiring the broadcast box and winning post to be relocated while the track was widened from twelve to fifteen metres. New brick stables and upgraded lighting were installed in 1989. The brick grandstand received a major facelift, the lawn and covered area completed in 1992 with a jogging track constructed in 1993. Young held its first TAB meeting in June 1995. Realignment of the track and a new outside fence were upgrades finished in 1998 while the current all-weather surface was installed in 2003.
Feature races include the Young Pacers Cup (2009 onwards), Cherry Festival Cup since 1995, Oaks for three year old fillies (2009 onwards) and Young Derby (run 1978 – 1986 and again from 2016.)
Next Time : New South Wales metropolitan tracks – part one.
Peter Craig
9 February 2022
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
