This is the first of three articles 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 –
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales located on the Hume Highway and the northern side of the Murray River. It is 554 kms (344 miles) from NSW’s state capital Sydney and 326 kms (203 miles) from the Victorian capital Melbourne.
The Albury showgrounds have played an integral role in the community development of the City having been the location for community activities and festivals from the early 1900’s to the present day. The showgrounds and associated buildings including a collection of corrugated iron sheds, public exhibition space, race track and grandstand represent the development and history of rural communities in Australia.
The Showgrounds moved to its Fallon Street location in 1948 from the first dedicated showground located in Young Street. The Albury Showground track is located 2kms from the township and was a 600m track from opening day of 24 October 1959 until 1984 when it was upgraded to its current 805m circumference. Stock Cars and trotting raced at the Albury Show Grounds in the 1960’s.
Feature races for the Albury Harness Racing Club are its Carnival of Cups night in February – Pacers Cup, String of Pearls for 3yo fillies; NSW Border Derby run in the late season and New Year’s Eve Family Fun Night.
Armidale a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales approximately halfway between Sydney and Brisbane at the junction of the New England Highway and Waterfall Way.
The New England Trotting Club conducted their inaugural meeting of five races at Armidale racecourse on 24 May 1890. The 24th of May celebrating Queens Victoria’s Birthday was retained for their annual meeting in 1891, 1892 and 1893. The famous pony Edith (by Startle) won a double in 1893 prior to her export to NZ where she established a large family with copious winners especially through the Lady Edith branch – CF A2 (Lady Ajax) – Pullover Brown, Montecito, Flight South, Pacific, Elle Mac, Flaming Flutter, Free Hall, Yankee Loch, Sovereignty, Fleur De Lil and many more.
The Sydney Morning Herald of Monday 10 May 1904 reported on a trotting match at Armidale on Saturday 8 May 1904 :
“A trotting Match for £20 a side took place on the race course on Saturday afternoon between Mr J Heafey’s Jack’s the Lad and Mr W. Lander’s Yorkey. The distance was 2m, and Yorkey won easily”.
The current 768.49m track utilised since opening on 27 September 1975 is located inside the Armidale Jockey Club racecourse just two blocks from the centre of town. The Carnival of Cups meeting, Armidale Pacers Cup is held annually in March.
Bathurst the oldest inland settlement in Australia situated about 200 kms (120 miles) west-northwest of Sydney in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales with Dubbo two hours to the west and Sydney 2½ hours to the east. Bathurst has had two venues for harness racing since it first commenced in the late 1880’s – Showgrounds and Paceway. The Bathurst Harness Racing Club is one of Australia’s most successful provincial race clubs.
The Bathurst Showground a heritage-listed showground at Kendall Avenue (Great Western Highway), Bathurst, designed by James Hines, J. J. Copemen and Edward Gell being built from 1879. The property is owned by the Bathurst Showground Trust and the New South Wales Department of Trade & Investment, Regional Infrastructure & Services. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 4 September 2015.
The site was ready for the 1878 show (not completed fully) and has been the Show venue ever since. In 1888 an extended area was granted by the Bathurst City Council and substantial alterations and additions were made to the grounds (approximately 16.19 hectares/40 acres). The following year the area was fenced, trees planted, new horse and cattle stalls erected and a half mile trotting track laid. The arena has been an integral and highly important component of the Showground since 1888. A further grant was given in 1890 allowing the trotting track to be extended into an oval.
The arena has been the focus of showground activity ever since it was created featuring not only equestrian and other competitive events, but demonstrations such as the first aeroplane flight to be seen in the central west, by “Wizard” Stone in 1912. Trotting races have been popular events at the show since 1889 and despite having close to a hundred trotting races in Bathurst spread over public holidays (Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Prince of Wales birthday, Foundation Day, Queens Birthday, St Patricks Day), Bathurst did not have an operational trotting club until well into the 1900’s. A Bathurst Trotting Club formed in 1899 lapsed within two months without holding a race meeting. The first ever meeting of the Bathurst Trotting Club was held on 27 July 1910.
While plans were proceeding for the 1916 Show during WWI, the Army applied to use the showgrounds as a military camp with a promise that it would be returned to its previous condition so trotting meetings could continue.
Trotting activities were suspended during World War Two, recommencing in 1946 with night trotting starting on 14 November 1953 when light standards were installed around the track. New floodlights were installed in the arena in 1965.
In the late 1970s the trotting track was upgraded in order that the arena could be recognised by the Racecourse Development Committee as first class. The arena is approximately 300 metres (980 ft) long and 120 metres (390 ft) wide on a NNE-SSW axis. The gravel racetrack was 18 metres (59 ft) wide and 795 metres in circumference. On 5/6 August 1986, the Showgrounds were extensively damaged by a flood requiring major repairs to the track, boundary fence, internal carpets and vehicles parked on the grounds.
The NSW Trotting Authority approved a new race, the Bathurst Gold Crown, run for the first time on 21 March 1987. The eleven day long Bathurst Gold Carnival held annually in late March has progressed into its fourth decade of running, now boasting four Group One races making it the richest country series in Australia – Gold Crown, Gold Tiara, Gold Bracelet and Gold Chalice – two/three year colts/geldings and fillies as applicable, all $100,000 races.
The Gold Crown Carnival today incorporates five race meetings and six social functions for patrons – Calcutta/Barrier Draw, Honouree Dinner, Ladies Night Marquee Function, Ambrose Golf Day, Gold Crown Ball and the Final Night Marquee Function plus Gold Crown Yearling Sale and several tour options during the carnival.
Elite records established on the Bathurst Showgrounds track included Trotters mile record of T2:13.04TT by Fritz on 11 April 1902 and Master Musician’s Gold Crown (fourth edition) win as a 2yo on 16 April 1990 in 1:58.2 (1700m). Star pacers to feature at the Showgrounds included Ardstraw, Another Party, Aussie Made Lombo, Chariot King, For A Reason, Four Penny Dark, Insutcha, Lombo La Fe Fe, Rowleyella, Seelster Sam, Weona Chief and champions Frith, Hondo Grattan, Karloo Mick, Master Musician, Our Sir Vancelot, Smooth Satin and Thorate.
The final meeting held at the Bathurst Showgrounds track took place on Sunday 21 September 2014. The background to the tracks closure and the new Bathurst Paceway is outlined below.
After more than one hundred years of racing at the Bathurst Showgrounds, the 800m circuit would be replaced by a 1000-metre track at Mount Panorama from October 2014. More than one hundred drivers that drove at the showgrounds were invited to attend the final meeting and many did. In the 1980’s each driver had his own name plate which was presented to those who attended the final meeting.
The Turnbull name is associated with Bathurst harness racing. The family have dominated the sport in the area winning many trainers and drivers premiership. From the great AD (Tony) Turnbull through to son Steve who won the NSW title in 2013 and granddaughter champion driver Amanda who both returned for the final meeting, Steve training a winner and Amanda driving one. Local Bernie Hewitt drove three winners (trained two) on the eight race programme including the final race held at the Bathurst Showgrounds – The Prestige.
Part of the celebrations was a phantom race of the “greatest ever” horses to race at Bathurst Showgrounds including crowd favourites Hondo Grattan, Smooth Satin and Karloo Mick all trained in the area. Karloo Mick led out the field for the last race at showgrounds.
The Bathurst Gold Crown Paceway held its opening meeting on its 1065m crushed granite track on Sunday 19 October 2014. What follows is an outline of the developments progress to finalisation.
On 9 July 2013 the official sod-turning ceremony for the new $7.5 million track, clubhouse and associated faculties bounded by College Road, Ethelton Avenue and Vale Road was held. Local legends of the sport including elder statesmen Joe and Tony Turnbull joined politicians, owners and trainers and Bathurst club officials to mark the occasion with Mayor Monica Morse turning the first sod along with Tony’s son Steve. Harness Racing NSW allocated twenty five per cent of the funds required to build the facility, the first part of its longer term strategic plan.
By October 2013 heavy earthmoving equipment was rapidly transforming the site of Bathurst’s new $7.5 million harness racing complex to the extent that the location of the track, clubhouse and stables were clearly defined. Quick progress was made with Harness Racing NSW confident Bathurst would lead the way as it had also invested in upgrades to regional locations such as the Riverina, Tamworth and Newcastle. Featuring a 1065-metre track, part of the state-wide infrastructure strategy to ensure a smoother transition from the major regional hubs into the metropolitan venue at Tabcorp Park, Menangle, expectations were that the development would take ten months to come to fruition.
In October 2014, the club moved into its brand new premises near Mount Panorama holding the opening meeting on Sunday 19 October 2014. The club conducts fifty eight race meetings each season primarily on Wednesday or Friday nights. The club’s jewel in the crown is the well-known and highly popular Bathurst Gold Crown Carnival held in late March each year. Developments planned or completed to date include an on-site training centre together with a memorabilia room. The Gold Crown Yearling Sales previously held at Showgrounds have now been held on course since 2019.
New track records established at the Paceway include Anntonia’s 1:52.1 (1730m) set during Gold Crown carnival 2021, trotter Elite Stride T1:58.1 (1730m, Gold Crown carnival 2020) and 2260m equal record holders with a 1:54.5MR in Cyclone Kate (2017), Art Series/Ultimate Art (2018) and Lochinvar Art (2019), all during Gold Crown carnivals. The new track hosted heats of the World Drivers Championships in 2015 (winning drivers : Dexter Dunn NZ, Tony le Beller France, Knud Monster Denmark, Pierre Vercruysse France) and Bathurst is due to host Interdominion heats during the 2020 Sydney carnival.
Blayney a farming town and administrative centre in the Central West region of New South Wales, situated on the Mid-Western Highway about 240 kms west of Sydney and 35 kms west of Bathurst. The 763m river sand track is situated at the Showgrounds just off the Blayney-Bathurst road 1.5kms from the town centre. The first meeting held at Blayney occurred on 8 May 1920.
The Blayney Showgrounds Speedway is a motorcycle long track venue that is controlled by the Panorama Motor Cycle Club using the Showgrounds trotting track.
Broken Hill an inland mining city in the far west of outback New South Wales near the border with South Australia on the crossing of the Barrier Highway (A32) and the Silver City Highway (B79) in the Barrier Range. The closest major city is Adelaide, capital of South Australia which is more than 500 kms (311 miles) to the southwest via route A32 while Sydney is over 1,200kms distant.
History shows that the sport began in the mining town back in the 1890, regular “unregistered” race meetings were held featuring ridden trotters. Businessmen would compete to buy the rights to run the booth and collect front gate sales from the meetings held in the early days at the racecourse. Settling up payments were made later in one of the many Silver City pubs. These informal early trotting meetings were sometimes conducted under the watchful eye of stewards but the inevitable disagreements and shenanigans occurred between trainer, rider and the general public.
After WWI, the Broken Hill Trotting Association took the lead in coming up with fresh ideas to re-ignite the interest of the public in competitive racing. They did it by running milk or bread cart races between rival companies with the horses permitted to gallop. Held on Sunday afternoons the “Milko Derbies” were conducted on dirt tracks in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Huge crowds would turn up to watch the carts race around tracks bordered by 44-gallon drums. The carts, featuring brightly-coloured signs from the many dairies and bakeries in the area boasted rubber wheels and drivers with nerves of steel.
The city’s galloping meetings moved to the current Broken Hill Racecourse with the trotters initially moving as well. The racetrack was too sandy so around 1945 the trotters moved to what was then known as Western Oval, later named Memorial Oval (660 yds) and now known as Rocky Baker Memorial Oval Paceway (602.3m, crushed rock). The original track was very small having a banked cycle track around the football oval with the horses racing outside the goal posts and inside the bike track. The running rail was either 44-gallon drums or trestles on the corners with a steward on each bend to ensure they had a good view of proceedings.
The club first ran a Gymkhana on 23 June 1946. The Broken Hill Memorial Trotting Club was formed in 1956 with its first registered meeting taking place on 28 September 1957. They raced for several years before the shape of the track was rearranged, new stalls constructed, and lighting added. The first night meeting conducted under lights was held in October 1959 followed by the installation of a photo-finish post and new grandstand. On 6 December 1969 the club became the first NSW country club on 6 December 1969 to use a mobile barrier, constructed by locals George Williams and Bill Gobell from original plans obtained from South Australia.
Broken Hill’s 602m track is less than half the size of Menangle and possibly the smallest remaining active track in Australia. Feature meeting the Carnival of Cups night run on the eve of St Patricks Day (16 March thoroughbred day) is the only Broken Hill trots meeting broadcast on Sky Channel. The card has a host of features including the $14,000 Rocky Baker Memorial Pacing Cup. The harness racing centre is now named after the late Rocky Baker of Carbine Chemicals fame who was a Broken Hill legend.
Canberra is the capital of Australia, its largest inland city and eighth largest overall. Located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory it is 280 kms (170 miles) southwest of Sydney and 660 kms (410 miles) northeast of Melbourne.
The Canberra Burns Club in 1945 sponsored the establishment of the Canberra Racing & Trotting Club. The Burns Club took a lead role in organising the first race meeting which was held at Acton Race thoroughbred course on 20 April 1946 with the main race of the day being the Canberra Highland Society Handicap. Today Canberra’s harness racing is held on its 812m Flemington Road track with feature races being Canberra Cup, Derby and Oaks, both commencing in 1969.
Coolamon a town in the Riverina region of southwest New South Wales 40 kms (25 miles) northwest of Wagga Wagga and 506 kms (314 miles) southwest of Sydney via the Hume and Sturt Highways.
The small Coolamon Harness Racing Club held its first meeting in 1920 utilising the 1053m Coolamon Showgrounds track since its opening meeting on 4 June 1954. The club hosts two meetings a year, one being a tradition in the South West held every Anzac Day. Trials are held every weekend (Sunday mornings) except when the meetings are conducted and daily up to fourteen horses use the track for jogging purposes.
For a number of years Coolamon hosted an all trotters meeting on ANZAC Day which included the group three La Coocaracha for mares, Coolamon Monte, Young Trouper 2yo Trot, Oaks, Humbletonian and Trotters Mile events (earlier years Derby – 2001/12 only; Trotters Cup – 2011 only). The last all trotters meeting was held in 2014 (full meeting abandoned in 2015). Anzac Day meetings honour the ANZAC spirit with a flag-raising ceremony and a minute’s silence on course which supplements the town’s own ceremony held in the morning. A Coolamon Pacers Cup was first held at the 2016 ANZAC Day meeting.
Cowra a small town in the Central West region of New South Wales located on the banks of the Lachlan River in the Lachlan Valley. It is approximately 310 kms (193 miles) southwest of Sydney and 189 kms (117 miles) north of capital city Canberra. The township is situated at the intersection of three state highways: Mid-Western, Olympic and Lachlan Valley Way.
The first meeting of the Cowra TC on 6 September 1919 consisted of seven races held on the one mile Jockey Club’s grass thoroughbred track (club formed 1878). The club raced here through 1951 before opening its all-weather 813m track at the Cowra Showground, Racecourse and Paceway in 1952.
The Cowra Harness Racing Club holds two race meetings each season with trials run every second Sunday. At its meeting on Sunday 8 September 2019 it celebrated one hundred years of trotting at the Cowra Showground, Racecourse and Paceway having been granted an extra race day specifically for this purpose. Among the eight races run, the Centenary Cup was won by Fouroeight (1:51.5, $216,170, Bathurst Gold Chalice, Mount Eden Championship – 4)
Next Time : New South Wales regional tracks : Dubbo to Newcastle
Peter Craig
10 November 2021
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
