The Gunnedah Racecourse lies in the Namoi Valley and is 411kms north of Sydney. The town of Gunnedah is known as the ‘Koala Capital of Australia’ due to its thriving koala population but come Gunnedah Cup day, it’s the thoroughbred horses that grab the town’s attention. Locals flock to the Gunnedah Racecourse in search of a great day by the track hoping to back a few winners along the way. The course itself is 1800m in circumference with a fairly tight final turn that leads onto the 400m start/finish straight.
The Mile Feature Event
The feature race at the Gunnedah Race Course is the 1600 metre Gunnedah Cup, which is run in May each year. Australia has one of the most active wagering communities in the world, with over 80% of the island continent placing bets of some sort. Not that surprising a statistic when you think about it. Horse betting on its own contributes hugely to this. The amount of races every year throughout Australia is huge. This is only aided by significant rural, or country events such as the Gunnedah Cup that are part of carnival, or community Race Days. For the technologically equipped online punter, all these events are available from the comfort of your own home.
Recent Gunnedah Cup History
In the recent past, Stephen Gleeson’s winning run shows no sign of slowing after scooping both the Kosec Kodari Securities Lightning Handicap and the 2015 Sky Gold Pryde’s Easifeed Gunnedah Cup on Sunday with Pippi’s Pride. Wagering on a win for this horse paid handsome $21.70 dividends, and it mowed down heavily backed favourites Cocktail Time ($3.70) and 2014 Cup winner, Collar ($3.80), to claim this year’s Gold Cup for the Muswellbrook-based trainer.
Pippi’s Pride was ridden by Leanne Henry who held off nicely over the 1600m distance before mounting her attack in the final few hundred metres.
The Future of the Event
The sport of Equestrianism has been around since ancient times. Great cultures such as the Greeks, the Egyptians, and the Babylonians dabbled in the field. It was originally intended to hone the skills of warriors on horseback. As the need for such fighters disappeared, the sport had gained enough traction to become popular even in modern day society.
There has never been a better time to utilise online eSports betting offers. Just to add even more excitement to the Gunnedah racing events and particularly the Gunnedah Cup than was already there. With the booming popularity it means greater winnings because of the massive betting pool. Huge variety means enormous choice and amount of options. Punters have to option to bet on the winner, or last place, or the first three positions, or even every position in the race. This is an activity that needs a lot of skill. Be able to read the horses, the jockeys, and the field. Also a fair amount of luck concerning conditions, weather and draw add extra variables, but if it all comes together just right, it can be one of the most lucrative hobbies possible.
The Gunnedah Cup has prize money of $25 000 for first place, and $4 840 for second. With the popularity of the event, and the Gunnedah venue attracting more and more visitors, punters can expect this money to increase in the coming years too.