A SMORGASBORD OF VICTORIAN COUNTRY CUPS TO CHOOSE FROM

THE Victorian Spring Carnival showcases 50 days of world class horse racing and incorporates 85 feature meetings but for those with a taste for Country Cups there are more than 20 to choose from.

The carnival runs from the start of October to the end of November and last year attracted almost 758,000 race-goers, including 94,000 for interstate and overseas, who injected almost $550 million into the Victorian economy.

The Spring Carnival puts Victoria on the international map with its high-quality racing and influx of international competitors and visitors each year.

The BMW Caulfield Cup, Tatts Cox Plate at Moonee Valley and Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington highlight the carnival and are complemented by feature country meetings in all parts of Victoria.

The country racing experience is truly unique, with each country club offering a race day different to the next. The Carnival includes over 20 Country Cups at venues such as Ararat, Avoca, Ballarat, Benalla, Bendigo, Cranbourne, Donald, Dunkeld, Geelong, Kyneton, Manangatang, Moe, Murtoa, Sale, Seymour and Mt. Whycheproof.

Those with an unquenchable appetite for Country Cups who want to Getaway and Go Racing will find something to satisfy all tastes at a smorgasbord of meetings during the Spring Carnival.

Some are once a year fixtures in tiny towns. Others in the bigger cities are used as lead-ups to the Melbourne Cup. Every one of these makes a major contribution to the Spring Carnival.

A SAMPLE OF THE COUNTRY CUPS ON OFFER DURING THE SPRING

Here’s a sample of what’s on offer with apologies to those that we missed.

MURTOA CUP – Saturday October 3

THIS is regarded as one of the best country race days in the Wimmera district. Murtoa is a small country town, population of about 1,000, in a grain growing region, just over 300km north-west of Melbourne.

The Murtoa Racing Club held its first meeting on a Thursday in February 1879, declaring a public holiday so that the whole town could attend. As in many Victorian country towns, this tradition continued for the best part of 120 years until recently, when the Cup was moved to a Saturday.

Racing has always been an integral part of the town life in Murtoa and, despite the population drain towards larger towns and cities that has affected many smaller towns in Victoria, racing here has remained strong.

Murtoa Racecourse is situated near Lake Marma and was a dirt track for many years before the grass track and associated training facilities were built in 1964. The grandstand was built in 1925 and is still in use today. Murtoa has become an important training centre in the Wimmera due to its central location and the ability of the track to hold up in wet weather.

GUNBOWER CUP – Saturday October 3

THE Gunbower Racing Club races only once a year when the Cup meeting is held in early October. The town, population of around 300, is 272km north of Melbourne on the Murray River, not far from Echuca.

The meeting made its way into the Guinness Book of Records in 2005 when iconic race broadcaster, Jack Styring, called his 55^th Cup. The Melbourne Age reported at the time that wild horses couldn’t keep the then 77-year-old away from this annual gig.

Jack sets his binoculars up in his stand in the judge’s tower adjacent to the winning post. The day is traditionally hot with flies everywhere and the bar open for a brisk trade for those who treat the races as a ‘back to Gunbower’ visit and others who annually place it on their ‘must go to’ list. Or should that be, ‘must hear Jack’ list.

Styring is a legend in Gunbower where racing has recognized his services. On the club Honor Board is this line in the life member column: J. Styring ’98-99.

He first called the Gunbower Cup in 1952, when he was only 22. He used to call in the tiny grandstand at Gunbower and recalls that one day a boy about four was blocking his view, so he picked him up under one arm and continued to broadcast with his microphone in the other hand as the horses raced to the post.

BENALLA GOLD CUP – Sunday, October 4

LAST year was a special celebration for the Benalla Racing Club with the 100^th running of the Gold Cup. It was won by Rhumb Line.

Located 188km north-east of Melbourne via the Hume Freeway, Benalla is known as the 'Rose City' and is noted for its stunning public gardens and lake. It is an attractive rural centre of approximately 16,000 people and is situated on the banks of the Broken River.

The BRC races 11 times a year with the Gold Cup on the first Sunday in October its premier day.

MANANGATANG CUP – Saturday, October 10

THE Manangatang Racing Club holds one race meeting a year – its annual Cup – coinciding with the Caulfield Guineas in early October.

Manangatang, from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘watering hole’, is a remote town in the Mallee district of north-west Victoria. It has a population of about 300 and is primarily a farming region.

The town is best known for its Cup day with the advertisement: ‘They’re Racing in Manangatang’ used in many well-known TV comedy sketches.

The Managatang Football Club, an Australian Rules side, was made famous by a catch-phrase of legendary commentator Lou Richards: “They couldn't beat the Manangatang thirds.”

CRANBOURNE CUP – Sunday October 11

CRANBOURNE is home to the largest training complex in the Southern Hemisphere and hosts one of the major Country Cups in Victoria. It races 22 times a year.

Located only 42km south-east of Melbourne, just off the South Gippsland Highway, Cranbourne is home to some top gallopers, including eight-time Group 1 winner, Apache Cat from the Greg Eurell stable.

The Cranbourne Turf Club has entered into a ground-breaking three-year partnership with Tabcorp’s corporate bookmaking arm, Luxbet.com. The 2009-10 season has seen Luxbet.com emerge as the club’s principal sponsor, in a deal that includes naming rights to the City of Casey’s largest sporting event, the Cranbourne Cup.

A major element of the Luxbet.com partnership was the announcement that the winner of the Cranbourne Cup will be eligible for a $1 million bonus, should that horse go on and win the Caulfield Cup the following week.

In the last 19 years, only six winners of the Cranbourne Cup have had a start in the Caulfield Cup, with 1998 Cranbourne Cup winner Lisa’s Game, trained by Tony Vasil, finishing second to Taufan’s Melody at Caulfield.

However, with the $1 million bonus on offer there is no doubt the big race double will become a major target for all trainers this year.

The $156,000 Listed Luxbet.com Cranbourne Cup will be run for the first time in 2009 as a Quality Handicap. With a maximum top weight of 60kg, some of the country’s best stayers will be enticed to compete in the hope that they can go on to win the Caulfield Cup six days later and take home the huge bonus.

Last year’s Cup was won by Majestical, ridden by Craig Williams.

MOE CUP – Thursday October 15

WITH record crowds in recent years the $130,000 Moe Cup has grown into the biggest social and sporting event in the Gippsland and Latrobe Valley region.

In 2008 due to the massive support from both the corporate sector and the general public the Moe Racing Club expanded the public area by utilizing Apex Park, allowing the crowd to spread out the entire length of the straight. Last year’s Cup was won by Reggie from Capecover.

Located approximately 110km, or an hour from the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Moe is an easy drive on the wonderful Princes Freeway.

Racing in Moe dates back to the previous century, so you could say it is firmly entrenched in the hearts and souls of the locals.

The Cup meeting, held in October each year, has grown into the biggest race meeting in the Gippsland, both in prizemoney and patronage. In recognition of this event’s importance, Latrobe City has granted a half day holiday for every Moe Cup Thursday. The club has also now been granted a race day to coincide with the Melbourne Cup.

AVOCO CUP – Saturday, October 17

THE Avoca Shire Turf Club opens its gates on just three days of the year. The atmosphere is unique with beautiful weather, gourmet food, plenty of champagne and the thrill of watching an afternoon of thoroughbred racing.

Nestled in the eastern base of the Pyrenees Rangers 187km north-west of Melbourne, Avoca is renowned for fine wines and horse racing.

The ASTC hosts fantastic country race meetings – often combined with the wines of the region. There is the Pink Lamb and Purple Shiraz Race Day in March, the Mount Avoca Anzac Day Races in April and the Taltarni Avoca Cup in October.

Avoca was one of the first goldfields in the north-western area of Victoria. Tourists can discover the rich past by following the Avoca Historic Walk. They can also sample fine wines of the region at Blue Pyrenees, Taltarni Vineyard, Dalwhinnie Vineyard and Warrenmang Vineyard and Resort.

SEYMOUR CUP – Sunday, October 18

AS one of the premier Country Cups in Victoria, the $120,000 Seymour Cup attracts many of the State’s leading trainers and jockeys along with a very big crowd.

The Seymour Racing Club has a proud tradition, hosting some 20 race meetings each season, including the prestigious Cup in October and the Vase in August.

Seymour racecourse is situated just off the Hume Highway, 100km from central Melbourne, with easy access by road and rail.

The club is located in the heartland of Victoria’s Thoroughbred Country, the home of Darley, Swettenham and Chatswood Studs, along with many others. A further attraction to the district is the many wineries located there.

HORSHAM CUP – Sunday, October 18

The Horsham Cup, right in the middle of the Victorian spring carnival, is the first of the Wimmera region’s major race days.

Horsham is a thriving country town with a population of 13,000 people and sits at the junction of the Western, Henty and Wimmera Highways on the edge of the Grampians National Park. It is about 300km north-west of Melbourne.

Horse racing in Horsham dates back to the 1850s and club records show that the first Cup was run in 1861. It is not clear exactly when official racing started in the town but it certainly has a long history.

The Horsham and District Racing Club was the result of a 1965 merger between the Horsham St Patrick’s Racing Club and the Brim Springs and Rosebrook Race Club. Despite this rationalization the club remained at a crossroads.

In the late 1960s the Racecourse Licensees’ Board commissioned a report which found that the surrounds at the Horsham course were in poor condition and in need of repair. The Board urged an amalgamation that would have seen nearby Murtoa and Horsham racing at one venue. Both clubs immediately set about upgrading their facilities and are thriving today.

In 1992 the Horsham Club joined forces with the Horsham Harness Racing Club and a harness racing track and function centre were built at what is now known as the Horsham Racing Centre. Racing at Horsham has progressed since then and the venue is fast establishing itself as a leading thoroughbred training centre.

Since 1998 racing at Horsham Racecourse has been administered by the Wimmera Racing Club, which is now a partner in the Horsham Racing centre. Growing the Horsham Cup Day in October is now a major focus of the new club.

GEELONG CUP – Wednesday, October 21

THE Geelong Cup is steeped in history and has proved a terrific guide to the Melbourne Cup with the import Bauer winning here last year before his close second in the Flemington two-miler to Viewed.

Damien Oliver rode Bauer in last year’s Cup for trainer Luca Cumani but who will forget ‘Ollie’s’ emotional Melbourne Cup win on Media Puzzle after it had saluted in the 2002 Geelong Cup.

Other records of note include: Mr Brooker winning the Geelong Cup in 1990 then running third in the Melbourne Cup to Kingston Rule. Mr Eurostar (third Geelong then 4^th to Subzero in 1992), Karasi (won at Geelong then 4^th to Ethereal in 2001), She’s Archie (2^nd at Geelong then 2^nd to Makybe Diva in 2003) and On A Jeune (won Geelong then 2^nd to Makybe Diva in the 2005 Melbourne Cup).

The Geelong Cup was first run in 1872 over two miles. It replaced the Geelong Criterian Handicap, which was run over three miles from 1864 to 1871. The first Cup winner was Flying Scud.

Since 1947 the Cup has been run in the Spring, traditionally the Wednesday after the Caulfield Cup and 13 days before the Melbourne Cup. Before 1947 it was run at varying times of the year, ranging from January to July.

ST ARNAUD CUP – Saturday, October 24

ST ARNAUD Cup day is now held annually to coincide with the big Cox Plate meeting at Moonee Valley.

St Arnaud, located 245km north-west of Melbourne with access to the racecourse via the Sunraysia or Wimmera Highways, is a former gold rush town with a population of close to 3,000.

It features a heritage streetscape and historic old buildings surrounded by abundant bushland.

Like most Victorian country towns, people had been racing horses in St Arnaud for some time before the formal establishment of the St Arnaud Club in October 1867. The town hosted its first official race meeting in March 1867.

SALE CUP – Sunday, October 25

Established in 1842, the Sale Turf Club has built a unique place in the ranks of provincial racing in Victoria. Its annual Cup day is a major draw-card on the country calendar and was won last year by the Lee Freedman-trained Electromotive.

Sale has a rich history unmatched by few other country clubs, a highly regarded reputation as a top class venue and nursery of racing stars, including top-liners Sky Heights and Makybe Diva.

Very few provincial racing clubs have a tradition and history to match that of Sale’s Greenwattle Racecourse – where racing has been staged almost as long as the industry itself.

The first recorded race at Greenwattle was a match race between horses of two of the district’s pioneers in 1842, with the Sale Turf Club name being established in 1860.

The Bendigo Jockey Club was formed in April 1854 and within four years held its first Cup meeting. It was then known as the Sandhurst Cup and was won by Old England. The first Cup was staged three years before the first running of the Melbourne Cup in 1861.

The Bendigo course today provides all the facilities that a punter requires.  Its landscaping and spacious lawns provide comfortable surroundings and well-paved walkways, modern horse stalls and the large parade ring provides ample opportunity for punters to study their fancy before race time. The betting ring is fully covered to provide race-goers with the best possible facilities in any weather.

Bendigo is 130km from Melbourne and has a population of close to 90,000. Last year’s Cup was won by the Michael Kent-trained Banana Man, ridden by Michelle Payne.

MT WYCHEPROOF CUP – Saturday, October 31

THE Victoria Derby might attract the national racing spotlight but on that same afternoon hundreds of kilometers from Flemington the tiny town of Mt Wycheproof comes alive for its annual Cup day.

Mt Wycheproof Cup Day is an iconic event in the Mallee where it has been run for over 120 years. Race-goers love the unique track surrounds, the great atmosphere and spring racing of a different kind.

They enjoy breakfast at the Mt Wycheproof Café, visit the race-themed art and craft exhibition, then head to the track where this family themed race-day doubles as the biggest party celebrated annually where hundreds of visitors join the town’s population of around 700.

The name, Wycheproof, is Aboriginal for ‘grass on a hill,’ referring to the smallest registered mountain in the world, just off the Calder Highway. The town’s economy is driven mainly by wheat but the one-a-year-race meeting is also a big annual boost to the economy.

MORTLAKE CUP – Saturday, October 31

ARARAT GOLD CUP – Sunday, November 8

THIS is regarded as the most prestigious race day in the Wimmera region and features the Ararat Gold Cup and China Bowl worth prizemoney of more than $100,000.

The gateway to Victoria’s Wimmera region, Ararat is situated on the Western Highway, approximately 200km west of Melbourne.

Gold was discovered there in 1857, and although the ensuing rush was relatively short-lived, the boom period marked the beginning of organized thoroughbred racing in the town.
Ararat hosted its first race meeting over four days in December 1857, making it one of the oldest courses in Victoria. According to the Mount Ararat Advertiser 5,000 people attended the first day of racing, a figure which had grown to 8,000 by day three.
No doubt the instant popularity of the races convinced the fledgling club that it needed a grandstand. Using bricks left over from the construction of a mental hospital, a grandstand was erected in the early 1870s. Although the exact date of construction is unknown, the grandstand could well be the oldest building still in use on a Victorian racetrack. 
In 1998 the newly-formed Wimmera Racing Club assumed control of racing at Ararat Racecourse with a view to ensuring the long-term survival of the historic course.

In 2007, 150 years after the Ararat Turf Club’s inaugural meeting, more than 2,000 enjoyed the racing and hospitality on offer at the town’s Cup Day meeting.

Ararat of today is a thriving town rich in history and culture in a region known for its merino wool, quality crops and fine wine. Founded by the Chinese in 1855, Ararat now has a population of around 8,000.

DUNKELD CUP – Saturday, November 14

THE Dunkeld Cup meeting was the winner of the 2007 and 2008 Country Racing Event of the Year in Victoria.

From humble beginnings, the Dunkeld Racing Club has witnessed phenomenal growth with attendances growing from 5,000 in 2005 to in excess of 11,000 in 2008.

The success of the Betfair Dunkeld races is somewhat of an enigma. What the venue lacks in permanent facilities it makes up for in race day character.  The wind rolling the odd plastic flower through the paddock (that serves as a car park) attests to its prime location, next door to the town’s cemetery.

There is no grandstand or permanent seating, but the club does have a couple of three sided sheds and a couple of grand sheds (four sides) that are used as bars on race day. Officials advise race-goers not to bring anything electrical as there is no power.

Despite this adversity, the DRC pulls out all stops year after year to deliver an award winning event. Some might call it a challenge. Officials regard it as their duty.

From not a single marquee in 2000 to around 170 in 2008, preparing for this event is something that resembles a military exercise. With bookings from Adelaide to Apollo Bay and Brighton to Buninyong, the logistics of co-ordinating paddocks to precincts is not for the faint-hearted.

The set up by race day includes a vast array of fully serviced marquee enclosures, public areas with shade and seating, in excess of 15 bar outlets, a wide range of food vendors, multiple big screens, betting facilities, free super kid’s enclosure, six live music performances dispersed throughout the venue, the ever popular fashions on the field and of course great racing.

Dunkeld Cup Day isn’t just a ‘Great Day Out’.  For those that have been initiated, it becomes n annual pilgrimage, planned 12 months in advance and taking precedence over everything. No-one gets married on the weekend of the Dunkeld Races and as for the cricket, it’s cancelled altogether.

But it’s not just locals who attend. They come in droves from Melbourne.

Why do thousands of people attend a day at the races at Dunkeld?

Because it’s what a real country race meeting is all about-----the people, the horses, the community, the picturesque setting and above all having One Hell of a Day Out.

DONALD CUP – Sunday, November 15

SPRING racing in the Wimmera region culminates with the running of the Donald Cup.

Donald is an agricultural service centre, a small country town with a population of 1,700. It lies 286km north-west of Melbourne, with access via the Sunraysia or Borung Highways.

The Donald Turf Club staged its first official race meeting on Boxing Day 1875. However, horse racing had been an important part of life in the town since the 1850s, and it is believed an organized race meeting was staged in December of 1864 which consisted of gallop and trotting races, as well as foot races. This could be Victoria’s earliest known tri-code meeting!
The town’s first racecourse was the main street, and it is not known when the current site on the Borung Highway was first used. The course boasts a long, wide straight and long runs to the first turn from all the starting positions, giving every horse a chance. The track was reconstructed recently.
The facilities and surrounds are also among the finest in Victoria, featuring rows of hedges and rose gardens near the winning post, and a new indoor viewing area with excellent catering.

BALLARAT – Wednesday, November 18

YOU might say they saved one of the best for last with the Victorian Spring Carnival officially concluding with the running of the Cup meeting at Ballarat, which is 113km west of Melbourne.

The Ballarat Cup, a Listed race over 2200m, highlights the 30 meetings conducted at Dowling Forest each year. It was won last year by Daka’s Gem.

The Dowling Forest complex is one of the biggest and busiest training centres in provincial Victoria with close to 300 horses in work.

Such is the importance of Cup day to Ballarat that the City Council this year nominated it as the gazetted public holiday, rejecting alternative proposals for the local Show Day or Melbourne Cup day.

It is a ‘one-off’ decision at this stage with Ballarat Turf Club chief executive, Shane Brennan, providing an argument to Council based on economics. “The racing industry contributes $44 million annually to the Ballarat economy,” he said.

But the races did have strong opposition from the Ballarat Agricultural and Pastoral Society, which told the Council that Show Day was a ‘family-focused, non-alcohol, non-gambling event which was rare these days.’

COUNTRY CUPS AND ASSOCIATED MEETINGS DURING SPRING CARNIVAL

Saturday, 3 October 2009 Murtoa Cup

Sunday, 4 October 2009 McCormick Benalla Gold Cup

Saturday, 10 October 2009 GRAINassist Manangatang Cup

Sunday, 11 October 2009 Luxbet.com Cranbourne Cup Day

Thursday, 15 October 2009 GPG Mobil Moe Cup

Saturday, 17 October 2009 PJA & Blue Pyrenees Avoca Cup

Sunday, 18 October 2009 Darley Seymour Cup

Sunday, 18 October 2009 Miller Contractors & Plant Hire Horsham Cup

Wednesday, October 21 2009 Centrebet Geelong Cup

Saturday, 24 October 2009 Yarra Valley Food & Wine Race Day (Cox Plate)

Saturday, 24 October 2009 RK Macey St Arnaud Cup

Saturday, 24 October 2009 Blue Ribbon Foundation Cox Plate Day at Swan Hill

Sunday, 25 October 2009 Eastcoast Plumbtec Sale Cup

Sunday, 25 October 2009 Sungold Milk Terang Cup

Wednesday, 28 October 2009 Jayco Bendigo Cup

Saturday, 31 October 2009 Latrobe Valley Ladies' Day

Saturday, 31 October 2009 Moyne Shire Mortlake Cup

Saturday, 31 October 2009 Mt Wycheproof Elders Cup - Derby Day in the Country

Sunday, 1 November 2009 Kilmore Girls' Day Out

Sunday, 1 November 2009 Mornington T'Gallant Peninsula Cup

Tuesday, 3 November 2009 Melbourne Cup Day at Moe

Tuesday, 3 November 2009 Melbourne Cup Day at Wangaratta

Tuesday, 3 November 2009 Melbourne Cup Day at Horsham

Tuesday, 3 November 2009 Melbourne Cup Day at Mildura

Wednesday, 4 November 2009 Compass Windows Kyneton Cup

Thursday, 5 November 2009 Warrnambool Mazda Oaks Day

Friday, 6 November 2009 Stony Creek Ladies’ Day

Sunday, 8 November 2009 Cranbourne Frankston Cup Day

Sunday, 8 November 2009 NMIT Ararat Gold Cup

Saturday, 14 November 2009 Betfair Dunkeld Races

Sunday, 15 November 2009 Donald Cup

Wednesday, 18 November 2009 Ballarat Cup

THE WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE RACING ACTION AT A SELECTION OF TRACKS WAS SUPPLIED COURTESY OF COUNTRY RACING VICTORIA.