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A Race Born from Innovation
The Silver Goblet Dubbo has become one of the most significant two-year-old races in regional New South Wales, but its origins are as bold as the racing it now represents. In the late 1980s, Dubbo—a town 450km northwest of Sydney—was thriving as a hub of country racing. Thanks to an ambitious redevelopment by the Thoroughbred Racing Board (now Racing NSW), Dubbo Racecourse was transformed into a modern facility catering to horses, jockeys, trainers, owners, punters, and officials alike.
Funding came from government bodies and the club’s own ingenuity—including, quite memorably, yabbie races.
Enter the Silver Goblet
With new infrastructure came fresh ideas, and among them was the launch of a feature two-year-old race: the Silver Goblet Sires Stakes. Unlike traditional juvenile races, only the progeny of nominated sires could compete, introducing a forward-thinking model for stud involvement.
The inaugural edition in 1987 carried a then-impressive purse of $27,700—equivalent to over $80,000 today. Fittingly, it was won by a future Slipper-winning trainer in Frank Cleary, who teamed up with jockey Peter Wiggins to salute aboard Celebrity Lover.
Momentum Builds
Cleary and Wiggins returned in 1988 to win again with Charm Boy, while 1989 saw Patent Black—trained by Bathurst’s Robert Hall and ridden by Dale Jeffries—demolish her rivals by six lengths. She’d go on to win at every Sydney metro track and run a narrow second in the Mona Lisa Stakes.
In 1990, Pushkin made history as the only horse to complete the Wellington Boot–Silver Goblet double. By 1993, the race—briefly renamed the Silver Shamrock—attracted interstate talent. Melbourne’s Garry Carlson used Dubbo as a springboard to Brisbane with Pax A Million, who would win the Shamrock before taking out the Group 3 Tasmanian Derby.
A Star Emerges
The race underwent a further rebrand in the mid-2000s, becoming the Star of the Turf. In 2006, a colt named Sniper’s Bullet burst onto the scene. Trained by Tracey Bartley at Mudgee, he crushed his rivals before going on to win three Group 1s and over $2.5 million in prizemoney.
In 2007, Miss Alberta claimed the win, but it was the third-placed filly, Heavenly Glow, who soared to greater heights—winning the Group 1 AJC Oaks and Arrowfield Stakes and earning the title of Australian Champion 3YO Filly.
The Bloodlines That Shaped Racing
In 2008, the race returned to its original name, the Silver Goblet. Proving to be the launchpad for one of the most important broodmares of the modern era. Sin Sin Sin finished runner-up that year, but later foaled Yes Yes Yes. Who would famously win the world’s richest turf race—The Everest.
A Race for Future Stars
In recent years, the Silver Goblet Dubbo has continued to unearth talent. Gallant Star, Slate On Edge, Star Boy, and Conscript are just a few of the names to emerge from the Dubbo feature and go on to metropolitan success.
2025 Kings Hall Jewellers Silver Goblet
This year’s edition saw Four Degrees, trained by Lyle Chandler and ridden by Aaron Bullock, produce a sharp turn of foot to claim victory over 1100m. The two-year-old gelding clocked 1:04.22 on a Soft 6 track. Edging out Ephemeral by a neck, with Song For Rosie rounding out the placings.
From yabbie races to Everest winners, the Silver Goblet Dubbo legacy lives on—proving that greatness can emerge from anywhere.
Dubbo Turf Club
The Dubbo Turf Club hosts 18 race meetings per year. Including the prestigious Dubbo Gold Cup, Queen of the West, Silver Goblet, Derby Day/Golden Eagle Day, and Melbourne Cup/Big Dance Day meetings.
With over 200 horses trained on-course, the Dubbo Turf Club also attracts runners from across regional NSW and prominent Metropolitan and Provincial stables. Resulting in the Club having the highest average field size of any regional NSW racecourse in the past two years.
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