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By Mark Brassel

THIS AUTUMN WILL MARK THE TENTH EDITION OF THE NEWHAVEN PARK COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS FINAL – NOW WORTH A WHOPPING $1 MILLION

Racing NSW’s highly successful initiative, the Country Championships, was launched back in 2015.

The Championships for the Grand Finals of Australian racing had commenced the year before and was instantly a mega success.

And it didn’t take long for the Country Championships idea to spawn in an endeavour to support and promote racing outside of the Metropolitan area.

Mitchell Bell brings Amicus Curiae back after winning last year’s Central West Country Championships at Mudgee. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

The result has been stunning with Country regions right around the State clambering to earn the right to host a regional Championships race.

“The Country Championships have been a tremendous success since their inception.

"This will be the tenth running in 2024 which is being marked by prizemoney for the Final increasing to $1 million,” said Racing NSW Chief Executive, Mr Peter V’landys AM.

Total prizemoney, for the Country Championships series in 2024 will be a record $2.35 million.

The Country Championships comprises of seven races held at a NSW course representing a region.

Each of these events carry $150,000 in prizemoney and are contested by eligible horses under the care of a country trainer in that region.

The winner and runner-up of each region then qualifies for the $1 million Newhaven Park Country Championships Final at Royal Randwick on Day 1 of The Championships – this year on Saturday 6 April.

The most successful region has been the Northern Rivers who have won the Final twice with Free Standing (2017) and Gracie Belle (2020).

The Wildcard – now with a Northern region (Scone) and Southern region (Goulburn) – gives horses to have contested a race a second chance to gain a berth in the Final and these races have produced two winners with Artlee (2015) and Noble Boy (2019).

Happy connections of Kimberley Secrets after her win in last year’s South East Country Championships at Moruya. Image by Bradley Photographers

Newhaven Park located in Boorowa, 333km south west of Sydney, is one of Australia’s leading Thoroughbred nurseries and was quick out of the gates once they saw the potential of the Country Championships and jumped aboard as major sponsor in 2017.

This year Lismore will for the first time host a Country Championships and kicks off the Series on Saturday 17 February with Albury the following afternoon.

Coonamble will host the Western region’s Country Championships for the fifth consecutive year on Sunday 17 March.

Scott Kennedy, Racing NSW’s GM-Industry & Analysis said Coonamble met the criteria when it came to deciding on a venue for the Western region.

“In assessing venues for the Country Championships we look at expected quality of the racecourse surface, community engagement, attendance, general promotion of the series and wagering,” he said. “Racing NSW does rotate the qualifying races between venues, but it is also important that the right to stage the meeting is earned.”

Coonamble Jockey Club’s president, Ken Waterford is a huge fan of the Country Championships: “We will host the Western region once again on Sunday 17 March after a good showing last year.

"We run a charity auction every year and get a decent turnover with strong crowd figures. We have great local sponsors supporting the event and the race brings a lot to the town as well.

“All the accommodation gets booked out, people are eating in local restaurants and our local businesses get more foot traffic.”

The qualifying series in 2024 will again be run on six Sundays and two Saturdays and a Friday.

Albury Racing Club’s CEO, Steve Hetherton said the club has opted to stage the prized meeting on a Sunday (18 March) in preference to a Saturday to avoid clashing with Metropolitan meetings.

“We are thrilled to be once again chosen to host the Southern Districts Racing Association’s Country Championships,” Hetherton said. “We thank Racing NSW for providing Albury another great opportunity to showcase country racing in NSW.

“Financially it can be very beneficial for not only the club but the region because there is a lot of hype surrounding the meeting and $390,000 in prizemoney up for grabs – that’s massive and includes a $50,000 Super Maiden on the day.”

COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS HONOUR ROLL

2024 NEWHAVEN PARK COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS