ON Friday, July 1, 1853, people came from everywhere to celebrate the first official race meeting at Warialda.

More than 170 years later, Warialda Jockey Club will hold its annual cup meeting on Saturday, April 11 with a six-race card.

The popular meeting features the 1400m Warialda Cup and 1000m Darren Jones Memorial Sprint.

The club has been beleaguered by cancelled meetings in recent years because of wet weather.

But with clear skies and perfect autumn sunshine forecast for the next week, club officials are preparing for a big day at the track.

Remembering Jonesy

The 1000m sprint, sponsored by Peter Sinclair Racing, is held in honour of top jockey, Darren Jones, who was tragically killed in a three-horse fall at Warialda in 2017.

The 48-year-old jockey fell when riding Montague Clan, trained by Peter Sinclair. True Commitment, ridden by apprentice Melanie Bolwell, and Achanizo, ridden by Leanne Henry, also fell.

Bolwell suffered serious injuries, including bleeding on the brain and fractures in her neck and ankle, and spent several months in hospital.

She never returned to riding however took out a trainer’s license in 2019.

Her first winner was Jonesy, named after her friend and mentor, Darren Jones.

Henry suffered a broken collarbone. She made a successful return to the saddle about three months later however retired after riding a winning treble at Longreach in November, 2020.

At a subsequent inquiry, Racing NSW stewards deemed the Warialda fall an accident.

Stewards said Montague Clan was racing keenly approaching the 450 metres with Jones continually restraining his mount.

Montague Clan shifted out slightly and struck the heels of another horse, became unbalanced, and fell. Bolwell’s mount was unable to avoid Montague Clan and also fell, while Henry’s mount became unbalanced after being checked.

Memorial

Warialda Jockey Club created a seating area outside the course proper near the spot where Jones was killed.

There is also a sandstone and marble memorial near the saddling enclosure, opposite the winning post.

The memorial reads in part: “In loving memory of jockey Darren Jones; an outstanding ambassador for country racing; the heart and soul of his family.”

Peter Sinclair, who now trains at Murwillumbah, visits when he can.

“I sometimes call in to the track when I head back to Moree to visit family,” Sinclair said.

“Darren was a good jockey and a good friend, and I think about him a lot.”

Jones left behind his wife Sheridan and their two boys, Jacob and William.

The jockey, born-and-raised in Glen Innes, started his career as a fresh-faced 16-year-old, apprenticed to Tamworth trainer Merv Corliss.

He went on to become the leading junior rider in the north and north-west and that success continued well into his senior years.

He rode more than 800 winners and partnered some outstanding horses, including bush marvel Akwazoff.

In an interview shortly after Jones’ death, Sinclair said there was a deep, trainer-jockey connection between himself and Jones that always got the job done on race-day.

“Darren might not have been the best jockey in Australia, but he was the best jockey for me . . . he understood me and he understood my horses,” Sinclair said.

“As a person, Darren was one of the best blokes you would ever meet, and that’s just not in racing.

“You get to meet many different people as you go through life and, even though Darren and I never lived in the same town, I know that we would’ve been best friends if we had.

“There was this synergy . . . we understood each other,” he said.

It was only fitting that 12 months later, Sinclair’s son, Nathan, would train the winner of the inaugural Darren Jones Memorial Sprint with Rockatorio – by more than four lengths, thank-you very much.

Jones and Nathan Sinclair teamed up for many memorable wins, including the Moree Chopper Cup and Warialda Cup in 2015 with Playa, owned in Moree by the Our Next New Horse syndicate.

Rich in history

The Warialda Jockey Club is now recognised as the oldest race club in country New South Wales still conducting race meetings.

In 1853, The Empire newspaper ran a report from a Warialda correspondent, who said race-day was a “scene of unusual bustle and excitement, (with) a large number of persons gathering to attend our races. The arrangements for the races were carried out in a highly satisfactory manner to all parties”.

The Warialda Purse, worth £12, was won by Scratch, with Aaron taking out the Stockman’s Purse, worth £8.

The £7 Hurry Scurry Stakes, with ten runners, was won by Bones.

“The racing, generally speaking, was good,” the correspondent penned.

“A large number of people were assembled on the course, and it is only justice to say that a more orderly and well-conducted body never met on a racecourse.

“At the conclusion of the day’s sport, our worthy host, Mr Geddes, of the Warialda Inn, gave an excellent dinner, which comprised all the viands that these golden times could desire.

“It was respectably attended, and the evening passed cheerily and merrily away, and each and all

retired to their respective quarters, equally satisfied with the treatment of mine host.”

At the time, Warialda was a pivotal centre in the north-west and Gwydir districts.

The town was gazetted in 1855 and quickly became the business, legal and political hub of the area.

The aforementioned Geddes family migrated to Australia around 1839 from Stirling, Scotland, and moved to Warialda in the late 1840s, where William and Margaret Geddes operated a store and later an hotel, licensed in May, 1853.

One of their daughters, Mary, was a pioneer of Moree, where she ran a store and hotel for many years.

William Geddes is regarded the father of racing in Warialda.

When the family arrived in the district, sporadic, unofficial race meetings of sorts were held.

In 1853, Geddes formed the Warialda Jockey Club, and went on to become honorary secretary and handicapper.

He founded the Warialda Pastoral and Agricultural Society and was also heavily involved in local sport, including athletics and cricket.

He sat on the board of the local hospital and School of Arts, and was chairman of the Public School Board.

Strong sponsorship

The 2026 Coolatai Rural-Anipro Warialda Cup meeting is sponsored by a long list of local and district businesses, including Genius Financial Services, Royal Hotel, McGregor Gourlay, Finn Valley Plant and Civil, North West Petroleum, Roger Moore, Warialda Family Practice, Johnstone Concrete, JA McGregor Livestock and Property, Ceramic Break Sculpture Park, GalaRia Coffee, Turner’s Livestock, Texas Angus, Biz Clean, AI&ED Uebergang Partnership, Friendly Contracting, Gwydir Contracting, Gwydir Shire Council, Lee Carrow Spelling, MTY Trophies, Moree Bakehouse, Phillips Plumbing and Warialda Newsagency.

The meeting features Autumn Fashions on the Field, yabbie races, a dash for cash sprint, jockey challenge and entertainment by Greg ‘The Hat” Henry throughout the afternoon.

Fashions on the Field, sponsored by Connect Home Care, Hair by Claudia, Easy on the Eyes, The Beauty Spot and JWc, has ladies, men’s and junior categories.

A courtesy bus will operate from 11.45am until late with drop-offs and pick-ups every half-an-hour from the Royal Hotel, IGA, Sunflower Motel and Caravan Park.

The cup and sprint feature races are supported by a 1700m BM-50 handicap, 1170m BM-45 handicap, 1000m maiden plate and 1400m maiden handicap.

Nominations for the meeting close at 11am Monday, April 6, with final fields and barriers declared at 9am, Thursday, April 9.

Warialda Races

When: Saturday, April 11, 2026

Where: Warialda racecourse

Time: From about midday. Courtesy bus operating throughout the day.

Tickets: Warialda Cup at Try Booking.

Words and Images: Bill Poulos