NOMINATIONS for the 2026 Talmoi picnic races – round three of bush racing’s Golden Triangle – close at 11am today.

The historic bush meeting has been around since 1911, and this year features six races, including the 1400m Warren and Ruth Hunter Memorial Talmoi Cup and 1000m Helen Boland Memorial Talmoi Bracelet.

Supporting races include an 800m class 3 handicap, 1400m class 2 handicap, 1200m class 1 handicap and a 1000m maiden plate.

Total prize money for the meeting comes in at $45,000 plus valuable trophies for all races.

The Talmoi Cup, won last year by Gavin Groth’s Norman with Paul Zerafa up, is expected to draw good numbers, including recent Moree Boolooroo Cup winner Thiem from the Beaudesert stables of Jimmy Downes, Geoff O’Brien’s Mallawa Cup winner, Akauwheo and Boolooroo Cup place-getter Shut Eye, trained at Inverell by Wayne Oakenfull.

Zara Lewis brings Akauwheo back to scale after winning the recent Mallawa Cup. They’ll be at Garah on Saturday for a crack at the Talmoi Cup.

O’Brien is keen to get back to Garah after winning half the program last year with Tandem, Super Hot and Akauwheo.

“We’ll head to Talmoi; there’s no reason Akauwheo can’t start in the cup. She won at the track last year and that’s a big plus,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien is also likely to nominate Redline in the Talmoi Bracelet, while Wayne Oakenfull will start Pub Feed in either the 1200m class 1 or 1400m class 2.

The Talmoi races closes the curtain on bush racing’s Golden Triangle for another year, after hugely successful meetings at Moree and Mallawa.

Highlights of Talmoi’s Saturday meeting, with online tickets available HERE, include a catered lunch and fashions-on-the-field as well as live entertainment and a big screen to watch local, provincial and metropolitan races.

Norman and jockey Paul Zerafa after winning last year’s Talmoi Cup.

Return buses will operate, departing the Royal Hotel in Moree at midday and returning at 6pm and 9pm.

The Talmoi committee encourages patrons to bring along picnic hampers, while Moree Lions Club will serve up traditional steak sandwiches, sausage sandwiches and cold drinks throughout the day.

Sponsors include B&W Rural, Kenway and Clark, Syngenta, Black Truck and Ag, TTS, Providore Global, RDO Equipment, BMC Partnerships, AFF and Orica.

Nominations for the six-race card close at 11am today.

Bush Racing’s Golden Triangle

Talmoi: Saturday, June 20.

Online tickets for Talmoi: Talmoi Picnic Races TIX

Updates: Talmoi Facebook Page