A day at the Moree picnic races won’t be the same without one familiar face in the mounting yard as horses parade for the time-honoured B&W Rural Boolooroo Cup on May 24.
Peter Sinclair is the face of picnic racing in north-western New South Wales, and his decision early last year to leave Moree and train privately at Sutton Park, near Murwillumbah, closed an important chapter of bush racing in the district.
The Boolooroo Cup, first held in 1924, is Sinclair’s signature race.
As a final nod to Moree, at the 100th running of the historic event last year, Sinclair rewrote the record books by training the first four horses across the line – and his 12th consecutive win in the race.
The day marked a century of picnic racing in Moree, and a huge crowd turned up to celebrate the landmark meeting.
Diplomation won the inaugural Boolooroo Cup and, 100 years later, Peak Road and apprentice Arthur Pollock arrived in the nick of time to collar the centenary cup.
Pollock guided Peak Road to a narrow win from stablemates Waitapu, Fiocchi and Always Hunting.
The race was laden with milestones and near misses.
Third-placed Fiocchi was aiming for a hat-trick of Boolooroo Cups, but missed narrowly after leading into the straight.
Arthur Pollock was having his first day out at the races as a jockey and the winner, Peak Road, was the first horse newly-badged strapper Zoe Mather had paraded on race-day.
“It was an amazing day, and an honour to train the first-four, but all credit for that piece of history belongs to my stable foreman at the time, Amee Hobday – and the fact Amee was a part-owner of Peak Road made the day perfect,” Sinclair said.
Former Moree trainer Peter Sinclair will be noticeably absent at Moree picnic races on May 24.
Sinclair will next month relocate to the Murwillumbah racecourse and nail up his shingle as a public trainer.
“I’ve leased stables and a house right on the racecourse, and hope to have about 10 or 15 horses in work,” Sinclair said.
Winning the Boolooroo Cup is nothing new to Sinclair.
He’s won the race 17 times since Sahara Bounty started the trend in 1995.
Sinclair also trained Midas Boy (2000-2001), Nepelle (2003), Jazzmaker (2007), Crystal Club (2012), Joppick (2013), Tapakeg (2014), One Double (2015), Dungiven (2016), Track Flash (2017-18-19), Liberty Head (2021) and Fiocchi in 2022 and 2023.
Sinclair is also only one of five trainers to win all three cups on bush racing’s Golden Triangle in the same season.
Since 1930, when Mallawa joined Moree and Talmoi on the north-west picnic circuit, only five horses have achieved the rare feat.
In 2014, the Sinclair-trained Tapakeg etched it name alongside Mulgate (1961), Passing Trade (1970 and 1973), Yakinova (1976) and Gefilte (1988) as a triple crown winner.
In 2023, when Fiocchi and jockey Ricky Blewitt led throughout to win the Boolooroo Cup for the second time, the grey flash joined dual winners Thalaba, Mulgate, Sarah Bay, Royal Toga, Dandy Secret, Carva Niche, Sahara Bounty, Midas Boy and Track Flash – the last two horses on the list were trained by Sinclair, with Track Flash a three-peater.
Bus service available
To ensure patrons get to the track safely, and on time, buses will run from the Albert Motel, Royal Hotel and Moree Golf Club from 11am to 2pm at half-hour intervals.
Return buses will begin at 5pm and finish at 11.30pm.
Private transfers are subject to availability. Contact Melissa O’Dempsey on 0427 542167 to discuss options for groups of six or more from private residences within town limits.
Picnic lunch
Patrons are encouraged to take along a picnic lunch to share with friends and family under the main marquee at the president’s luncheon.
The long-standing custom of bringing plates to share dates back to 1924, when Moree held its first picnic race meeting.
Everyone is invited to join president Alex Madden under the marquee and partake in this longstanding tradition.
Moree Lions Club barbecue will also be fired up, with delicious steak and sausage sandwiches available for purchase.
Moree picnic races on Saturday, May 24, features a six-race card and $42,000 prize money.
Signature races include the 1400m Boolooroo Cup, won last year by Sinclair’s Peak Road, and the 950m Moree Bracelet, won by Ridge Wilson’s Hiraishin.
Major sponsors for round one of bush racing’s Golden Triangle include Nutrien Ag, RDO, GrainCorp, B&W Rural, Kenway and Clark and North West Events.
Tickets for Moree picnic races are only available online from TryBooking at: https://www.trybooking.com/DADHV.
Ticket prices are $40 per person for general race-day admission, with a race-book Included, or
$140 per person for race-day admission as well as the dinner-dancer afterwards.
Moree Picnic Races
When: Saturday, May 24
Where: Moree racecourse
Time: From around midday ‘til late
Entertainment: Route 33
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