Million Dollar Races for Kembla and Newcastle

Media Release - Monday June 3
Spring racing in NSW will extend beyond the Everest Carnival in Sydney with Newcastle and Kembla Grange today announced as staging standalone Saturday race meetings with $1 million feature races.

The Hunter headlining the Newcastle meeting on Saturday 16 November 2019, and the $1 million The Gong being the feature race at Kembla Grange on Saturday 23 November 2019.

Racing NSW and the respective race clubs will target attendances of 20,000 on each race day.

The Hunter and Gong meetings will be a focal point of racing in Newcastle and Wollongong and Racing NSW will heavily support the promotion of these events. Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, Kevin Anderson MP, said Racing NSW understands the need to grow the industry across the whole state, not just in the capital city, which is why this investment is so important.

"Strengthening the racing industry in NSW is more than investing in Randwick and Rosehill, we want to grow the footprint of racing beyond the city limits to Newcastle and Wollongong, and beyond to ensure every corner of the state sees the benefit of a strong racing industry," Mr Anderson said.

"These races will rival races across Australia and the world which in turn will provide a welcome boost to their local economies."

Racing NSW Chairman Mr Russell Balding AO said "These new race days will provide the chance for Newcastle and Wollongong to shine as the feature NSW meetings immediately following The Everest Carnival.

"Racing is a vital part of our social fabric and it is fitting that Newcastle and Wollongong as our next largest cities after Sydney will now have race days that they can be proud of.

"These meetings are a great opportunity for new racegoers in these cities to attend a feature event and see what racing is all about. Just as the Sydney public has embraced The Everest, we are confident that the Newcastle and Illawarra public will embrace The Hunter and The Gong as their race," Mr Balding added.

The $1 million Hunter will be a quality handicap race held at a distance of 1300m and may possibly attract runners from The Everest. The Gong will also be a quality handicap run for $1 million in prizemoney over a distance of 1600m.

The Newcastle Hunter meeting will also feature the Spring Stakes, Group 3 for three-year olds transferred from the existing Newcastle Cup meeting in September. Being the feature NSW meeting on the Saturday, both the Newcastle Hunter and The Kembla Gong race meetings will also carry support races of minimum of $125,000 in prizemoney.

In a further boost for provincial racing in NSW, the Gosford Gold Cup meeting will join the Hawkesbury Gold Cup as a standalone Saturday fixture following the conclusion of the Sydney Autumn Carnival. The Gosford Gold Cup meeting will be run on Saturday 9 May 2020.

Racing NSW Release
Advertisment
More Reading...
Back to Stakes Class for This Filly
The most impressive winner at Ipswich today was a filly by one of the most under-rated sires in the country.
Zoustar 2YO Salutes at Cambridge
The decision to bypass a trial opportunity with I’m All In proved on the money when the youngster successfully resumed on his home course.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday May 14
Here is the full list of 23 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Magic Millions Off the Track Cup Back Bigger and Better in 2025
Magic Millions Queensland Off-The-Track (QOTT) Cup announces qualifiers in QLD, NSW and the introduction of a new qualifying round in Victoria in 2024 ahead of the QOTT Cup Final at the 2025 Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo & Showjumping on Sunday, 5 January on the Gold Coast vying for $50,000 in prizemoney.
Super One Relocates to Roselee Park in WA
Roselee Park has welcomed Super One, the sire of Champion WA 2YO Super Smink, to its roster in Serpentine.
Blueblood Filly Wins for Peachester Lodge
Graham and Linda Huddy of Peachester Lodge are the biggest and most passionate sponsors of the Thoroughbred Sport Horse National Titles show at Stonewall Equestrian next week and their colours were in the winner’s circle at Randwick on Wednesday carried by blueblood filly Wild Gypsy.
Telemon Thoroughbreds Announce 2024 Fees
It takes a very rare and special stallion to consistently produce early maturing, hardy horses that can rise to the top as 2YOs and the Telemon Thoroughbreds roster is headed this year by two stallions with that sought after ability that will allow breeders to target Australia’s best incentive scheme, QTIS.
King Charles III new patron for NZTBA
The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association is delighted to announce that His Majesty King Charles III is their new patron.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday May 15
Here is the full list of 39 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
NZ Eventer Annabel Tuthill Turns Her Hand to Racing
Former New Zealand eventer Annabel Tuthill has added another string to her equine bow by taking out her thoroughbred trainer’s license.