SPANNING from the state border in the north, the Great Dividing Range in the east, intersecting the Darling River to the west of Louth and dividing the Bland, Weddin and Cowra Shires in the south, the Central Districts and Western Racing Association combined cover an area about the same size is Victoria and more than a quarter of the land mass of New South Wales.
The geographic landscape from north to south and east to west is as diverse as inner-city Sydney is to the Greater Western hub. From harsh dryland agricultural areas in the north that face the persistent battle between floods and droughts, to the fertile volcanic soils in the south, where many graziers would swear that you could plant a broom handle and watch a tree would grow from it. Fat cattle and prime lambs take precedence in most paddocks, but at the heart of every district is the generational connection to horses and thoroughbred racing.
Within this sizeable wedge of the state, operate 41 race clubs across 35 racecourses. Each meeting has a unique take on hospitality, a real horse for courses approach to running races, having a bet and enjoying a drink (or two). In the centre of these two distinctly unique and often divergent racing associations is the city of Dubbo.
With a population of around 55,000 people, Dubbo is the economic hub of the west, providing critical and specialised healthcare, industry and services, a meeting point for smaller communities and a gateway to the Hunter, the Riverina and the metropolitan region. Dubbo is also the thriving centre point of racing in western New South Wales. A vibrant racing community, showcasing a mix of youth and experience, the Dubbo training ranks boast some of the state’s best regional conditioners, black-type winning trainers, and state premiership winning trainers.
With 25 active trainers and a rotational population of horses that averages out at 220, Dubbo has seen significant growth in the production of trained starters over the past decade to a point where the Club is now the leading producer of runners across regional New South Wales. Over the past half-decade, particularly, the focus has been on quality as much as it has on quantity.
With country-restricted races such as the Country Championships, The Kosciuszko, the Barn Dance, TAB Highways and the Country Classic offering significant prizemoney opportunities, owners and trainers are actively seeking and sourcing better quality yearlings and better quality tried horses.
While the process of buying a horse has changed dramatically in the past five years, the art for identifying and buying a quality horse has not. It takes patience and guile, luck and a fair bit of
confidence. While Dubbo trainers have collectively produced more than 750 winners of the past three racing seasons, there are a special few horses and a special few wins that highlight the positive affirmation of the gamble of purchasing a tried horse or yearling. Headlining the draft of yearlings and tried horses purchased by the west in recent years with a view to winning quality country races and city riches are:
GALLANT STAR – A $200,000 yearling by Zoustar that was picked up David Ringland and Kerry O’Keefe for $32,500 online, Gallant Star has amassed more than $600,000 in prizemoney with wins in the Barn Dance (Royal Randwick), a TAB Highway Handicap (Royal Randwick), Vincent Gordon Flying Handicap (Dubbo) and runner-up in the Country Championships Final and WRA Qualifier.
ELSON BOY – a $6,000 purchase online from the Mark Newnham dispersal, Elson Boy was purchased by Guy Mitchell and Robert Pratten with aspirations of winning a maiden and maybe a Class 1. Elson Boy has gone onto win nine races, including the WRA Country Championships Qualifier and two Saturday metropolitan races before a six-race win streak was ended by the progressive Godolphin galloper, Contemporary.
SNEAK PREVIEW – The former Mark Newnham-trained galloper found his way to the west following a string of trials. Under the care of Kody Nestor, Sneak Preview would quickly progress through its grades, picking up a TAB Highway win at Kemble enroute to taking out the WRA Country Championships Qualifier ahead of stablemate Fast Talking. Sneak Preview would then head to the Sunshine Coast, whereby David Vandyke would win another six races with the son of Smart Missile.
On a course for retirement to the Nestor family farm on the banks of the Macquarie River, Sneak Preview would return to Dubbo in September 2024, this time under the care of Peter Nestor, and ecord one of the most emotional Dubbo Cup victories in history, saluting at $71 in track record time.
RAGING RUSH – a diminutive, parrot mouthed yearling by Sooboog was picked up by Clint Lundholm at the HTBA Sale for $19,000. Belying its stature, Raging Rush has gone on to win five races and almost $140,000 in prizemoney, including the Silver Apple (Orange) the Quirindi Lighting (twice).
SIMPLY XTRAVAGANT – $9,000 was enough to secure Victorian mare Simply Xtravagant, who would record a five-race winning streak and bag more that $100,000 in prizemoney in the spring of 2023 for Dubbo trainer Brett Robb. A noted windsucker, Simply Xtravagant went from winning a Class 1 to the iconic Warren Cotton Cup in the space of five runs.
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The Dubbo Turf Club, having worked with Rorison Management and Stridyl on several projects over the past 18 months, are delighted to partner with the Stridyl platform to provide insight into racing, community and prosperity beyond the Great Dividing Range.