Gunnedah Jockey Club secretary manager Lyn Tongue got a big surprise when the list of eligible Country Cups for the 2023 Big Dance was released by Racing NSW on Monday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
There among the 29 qualifying races for the second edition of the $2 million race was the Gunnedah Cup.
For Tongue, the news came completely "out of the blue". Being "only a small club", and with their prizemoney being comparably less than some of the Cup races, she "didn't really expect it".
READ ALSO:
"So it was an absolute joy to read that we were included in the list," she said.
The Gunnedah feature, which is scheduled for May 28, is one of three new additions with the number of eligible races growing from 26 to 29.
"I think it's fantastic for the Gunnedah Jockey Club," Tongue said.
"We're very excited about it and very grateful for the opportunity to be included, on the list of clubs that are hosting the Big Dance qualifiers."
"In the last year we've seen the quality of horses and trainers that are chasing these spots so hopefully we can promote it and get some of the big names to come to Gunnedah for our Cup next year."
The Armidale (December 11), Muswellbrook (March 31, 2023), Tamworth (April 22, 2023) and Scone (May 12, 2023) Cups will again also carry Big Dance eligibility with the first and second placegetters having a chance to race at Royal Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day, which will next year be November 7.
This year's inaugural race was taken out by Scone Cup winner Rustic Steel (Kris Lees) with Tamworth Cup winner Bandersnatch (Hawkes Racing) finishing 11th.
Armidale Cup winner Beckford (Troy O'Neile) and runner-up Point Counterpoint (Stirling Osland) meanwhile raced in the accompanying $500,000 Little Dance, placing 10th and fourth, respectively.
Qualifying races
Goulburn Cup (1400m) - 30 October 2022
Snake Gully Cup (Gundagai) (1400m) - 11 November 2022
Taree Cup (2000m) - 20 November 2022
Mudgee Cup (1600m) - 2 December 2022
Nowra Cup (1600m) - 4 December 2022
Armidale Cup (1900m) - 11 December 2022
Coonabarabran Cup (1600m) - 23 December 2022
Moruya Cup (1425m) - 2 January 2023
Ballina Cup (1590m) - 13 January 2023
Bega Cup (Sapphire Coast) (1600m) - 29 January 2023
Albury Gold Cup (2000m) - 24 March 2023
Wellington Cup (1700m) - 26 March 2023
Muswellbrook Gold Cup (1500m) - 31 March 2023
Orange Gold Cup (2000m) - 15 April 2023
Tamworth Cup (1400m) - 22 April 2023
Wagga Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) - 5 May 2023
Scone Cup (1600m) - 12 May 2023
Gunnedah Cup (1600m) - 28 May 2023
South Grafton Cup (1600m) - 9 July 2023
Narrandera Cup (1600m) - 23 July 2023
Coffs Harbour Cup (1600m) - 3 August 2023
Forbes Cup (1600m) - 6 August 2023
Murwillumbah Cup (1550m) - 25 August 2023
Dubbo Gold Cup (1600m) - 17 September 2023
Lismore Cup (2100m) - 21 September 2023
Bathurst Cup (1800m) - 24 September 2023
Port Macquarie Cup (2000m) - 6 October 2023
Coonamble Cup (1600m) - 8 October 2023
Wild Card (Randwick) (1600m) - 14 October 2023
