The popularity of the Newhaven Park Country Championships continues to grow and its importance for trainers and horses can't be overstated with a number of runners going on to bigger things.
Created to support country racing in NSW, the Country Championships has grown from strength to strength since it began in 2015.
This year's series includes seven qualifying races held over 1400 metres and worth $150,000 in prizemoney, with races at Grafton, Albury, Tuncurry-Forster, Mudgee, Moruya, Tamworth and Coonamble, as well as two wildcard races, northern and southern, to be held at Scone and Goulburn.
The first two runners from each of these races will go through to the final to be held at Royal Randwick on Saturday, April 6, for a share of $1 million in prizemoney.
Horses must be under the care of a country trainer to compete in the championships, making the event truly one for country racing.
Racing NSW general manager - industry and analysis, Scott Kennedy, said the Country Championships were a key event for country-trained horses each year.
"Trainers can target a $150,000 race in their region, as opposed to standard country TAB prizemoney of $27,000, with the objective of running in the final at Royal Randwick," he said.
The race can be a good platform for country horses with previous runners having gone on to strong careers.
"Clearly Innocent, the 2016 winner, won a Group 1 race in Brisbane and ran in the first ever Everest," Mr Kennedy said.
"A number of Country Championships horses have gone on to win group or listed races.
"Voodoo Lad ran third in the inaugural final and went on to win a Group 1 race in Perth. Victorem won brilliantly in 2018, then won several black type races."
The importance of the Country Championships isn't lost on trainers, with some aiming their horses at the event 12 months out.
"Trainers are looking at the Country Championships when they see that a horse in their stable has talent and would be suited at the race distance," Mr Kennedy said.
"This might mean planning a campaign more than 12 months in advance for a young horse, but trainers are generally looking at the race at least six months ahead."
Mr Kennedy said Racing NSW is happy with the current structure of the series.
"We're always looking at how we can improve things, albeit the Country Championships have been very successful," he said.
"The Class 5/20 start rule helps keep the series fresh, but still enables horses to contest more than one series.
"The regional element has been important to the success of the series, and six of the seven regions have produced the winner of a final."
Naming rights sponsor, Newhaven Park, Boorowa, has been associated with the championships for the past seven years and stud principal, John Kelly, believes that isn't going to change anytime soon.
"As well as a horse stud, we're farmers. We love the bush," Mr Kelly said.
"So sponsoring the Country Championships is a good fit for us. We really enjoy going around to all the qualifiers with one member of our family always in attendance.
"Importantly, it's a great thing for country racing. I believe all good things are built on strong foundations and country racing is the foundation for NSW racing.
"What Racing NSW has done with the Country Championships, The Kosciuszko, and The Highway has been fantastic for country racing."
