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By Mark Brassel

It’s a big occasion for Scone Race Club on Saturday as they welcome back the ‘lost half’ of their huge two-day racing carnival.

Scone usually hosts a two-day carnival on the Friday and Saturday, however, the past two Saturday ‘metropolitan status’ programs were transferred to Rosehill Gardens due to COVID.

Scone Race Club has staged Darley Scone Cup Day the past two years on the Friday, but the Club has not been in the position to host the Saturday meeting since 2019.

“To have the entire Scone two-day festival return here is not only great for our Club, but fantastic for the local community and the strong Thoroughbred industry that calls this region home,” said Scone Race Club’s CEO, Steven Keene.

“The Hunter Valley area has been very vocal about wanting the Saturday meeting back and with the assistance of Racing NSW, we’ve been able to make this happen.

“Racing NSW has been fantastic in their support to see the two-day carnival return, and our Club is greatly appreciative.

“We look forward to working together to ensure that the Scone Cup Carnival will go from strength-to-strength, well into the future.”

The Darley Scone Cup Carnival is highlighted by the Listed $200,000 Darley Scone Cup over 1600m on the Friday, and the Group 3 $200,000 Arrowfield Dark Jewel (1400m) on Saturday.

Inglis will once again sponsor the popular Inglis 2yo Challenge that is also worth $200,000.

“There will be a Fashions on the Field which is always hotly contested, and the Darley Marquee is the most sought-after ticket in town,” Keene added.

One of the ‘features’ of the Scone carnival for the past two years has been the appearance of outstanding sprinter Lost and Running.

The gelding’s debut was in the Cressfield Maiden Handicap at Scone in 2020 where he bolted in by nearly five lengths.

He returned for the Scone Saturday – at Rosehill Gardens – in 2021 to claim the Listed-Vinery Luskin Star Stakes before going on to win $2m in prizemoney including victory in The Hunter at Newcastle last November.

Meanwhile, next Sunday marks the 128th running of the Parkes Services Club Gold Cup meeting: “That includes a break for the war,” quipped Mark Ross, president of Parkes Jockey Club.

“Parkes Services Club sponsors the Cup and they have been in partnership with our Club now for a decade.

“The Club proudly backs our Parkes Gold Cup meeting and members of Parkes Services Club receive free entry to the course.

“This is a full TAB meeting always supported by the trainers of the district with large nominations and we have upgraded our raceday tie-up stalls to accommodate them and others.

“There are the usual on-course facilities with a full bar and TAB facilities and the local ladies from Parkes Que Club provide traditional raceday food.

“The racecourse has been upgraded with new rails and a track irrigation system, so the track has never looked better.

“Our course is considered one of the best in the area and has the second longest straight in the western districts.

“This meeting attracts high quality, horses, trainers and jockeys from across the state and everybody is welcome to witness a great day of racing.”

Parkes Cup Day offers $207,000 in prizemoney featuring the $34,000 Parkes Services Club Gold Cup (1600m) and the $29,000 Satellite Handicap (1200m).

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Taree, Muswellbrook
Tuesday: Goulburn
Thursday: Coonabarabran
Friday: Scone, Albury
Saturday: Scone, Tuncurry, Brewarrina (non-TAB)
Sunday: Parkes, Queanbeyan