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By Mark Brassel

Mamma Mia – it’s going to be a huge couple of days at Scone this Friday and Saturday during the Darley Scone Cup Carnival.

More than $2.2 million will be offered in prizemoney featuring five Stakes races headed by the $200,000 Darley Scone Cup (1600m) – another qualifying race for the $2m Big Dance at Royal Randwick in November.

Scone Race Club will be providing some excellent racing action on Friday & Saturday. Image by Bradley Photographers

And the on-course entertainment is the World’s top ABBA tribute show ‘Bjorn Again’ who will play after the final race on Day 2 of the carnival.

“These two days ensure there is an exceptional boost to the local economy and to the region’s immense Thoroughbred racing industry,” said Scone Race Club’s CEO, Steven Keene.

“We have will a couple of days boasting premium hospitality and high-quality racing, and a big thank you to our major Cup Carnival sponsor Darley as they head into their seventh year of sponsorship.

“We salute the ‘army in blue’ and look forward to celebrating another wonderful weekend of country racing in 2023.

“There will be the hotly contested Fashions on the Field with some wonderful prizes up for grabs, and this is a major highlight of the Darley Scone Cup Carnival.

“And, of course, the Darley Marquee which is always the most sought-after ticket in town.”

Scone’s Cup Carnival is considered the ‘Jewel of Country Racing’ in NSW with Darley Scone Cup Day on Friday 12 May offering $700,000 on the day.

The following day is Emirates Park Dark Jewel Day – a stand-alone Saturday race program – boasting 10 ‘Metropolitan’ races and $1.53 million in prizemoney.

Rustic Steel won last year’s Scone Cup after taking out Gosford’s The Coast and went on to claim the inaugural $2m Big Dance at Royal Randwick last November.

On Sunday, Mother’s Day, Mums will be pampered at Parkes races with free course entry, a ticket into a lucky gate prize and a complimentary glass of wine.

“With our race meeting falling on Mother’s Day this provides Parkes Jockey Club the opportunity to stage a Family Day with over 20 market stalls booked in, a coffee van, ice-cream truck, and for junior racegoers free face painting and a jumping castle,” said PJC’s president, Mark Ross.

“Racing has operated at the historic Parkes Racecourse since 1886 and the Parkes Gold Cup has been held every year since 1887, except for 1939 and 1945 due to war.

“The COVID pandemic did not stop the Parkes Gold Cup from being held in May 2021 but unfortunately, after years of drought, the 2022 Parkes Services Club Gold was hosted by Gilgandra due to wet weather.

“The Cup was won by Foodie King, a horse with local Parkes connections, and was trained by Michael Mulholland from Dubbo.

“The tradition of the Parkes Gold Cup continues this year on Mother’s Day where we have an eight-race meeting that will entice all regional horses and their trainers to attend.”

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