Horse racing is a hugely popular pastime in all regions of Australia, and the town of Goondiwindi in Queensland is well known for producing some fine race horses and jockeys in its time. From the time that the first two horses arrived in Australia at Port Jackson in 1788, the racing industry has grown continually to create the thriving industry present in the country today.
The two most common kinds of thoroughbred horse racing found in Australia are racing over fences or hurdles, which occurs mainly in South Australia and Victoria, and flat races, which are popular in places like Goondiwindi. Australian race tracks may be country, provincial or metropolitan tracks, and the Goondiwindi Racecourse is a country track, hosting local events that feature mostly home-grown competitors.
The History of Goondiwindi Racing
Goondiwindi is a historical town, and its Goondiwindi Racecourse is situated in the Gunsynd Park area. Gunsynd Park holds a story of its own, as it is named for one of the most successful race horses to have come from the area, Gunsynd the ‘Goondiwindi Grey’.
A monument to this horse stands at Apex Park in Goondiwindi, and was proclaimed one of the top 12 Queensland icons in the year 2004. Gunsynd himself was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame just a year later in 2005.
This race horse hailing from Goondiwindi has gone down in history as the only race horse to date to have won all major racing events the Cox Plate, the Doncaster race, the George Adams race, the Epsom race and the Toorak race races in a single season.
Gunsynd the ‘Goondiwindi Grey’ is credited with an astounding 29 race wins throughout the duration of his career. In his honour, a Gunsynd Museum is situated in the town of Goondiwindi, which has been in operation since 2007. The local Goondiwindi Visitor Information Centre, too, has some paraphernalia on display that relate to Gunsynd’s career, including a number of his trophies.
Cup Events at Goondiwindi Racecourse
The Goondiwindi Racecourse at Gunsynd Park hosts a number of country racing events each year. The Roma Cup CQS is a large racing event, taking place at the end of May or the beginning of June each year. The Roma Cup is a Group 3 race that offers prize money of $125,000.
Other events hosted at the Goondiwindi Racecourse during the year include the Goondiwindi Winter Sprint, the Toowoomba Cup and various picnics and Goondiwindi racing days, and of course punters who are there in person can place bets, and for those who aren’t, online betting is always a great option.
Inglewood Cup at Goondiwindi Racecourse
The Inglewood Cup at Goondiwindi Racecourse is another event that is well attended by local spectators and racers. The Inglewood Cup was established in 2010, and the 2015 racing event marked the race’s 5th consecutive year of running.
The Inglewood Chamber of Commerce revamped the concept in 2010, and created a 5 event racing programme that has proved popular with locals and international spectators alike. The Inglewood Cup event provides a day of country racing, with tents and undercover facilities for spectators. The 2015 Inglewood Cup took place on Monday the 26th of January and racing commenced at 2 p.m.