The Racing Orange Orange Cup

The Orange Cup is a premier horse racing event that is held annually in the Australian town of Orange Central West, New South Wales. The event is held at the end of March or the beginning of April, and is hosted by Racing Orange at the Towac Park Racecourse in the historical town of Orange. Orange itself is located just 3 and a half hours west of Sydney, and about 3 hours headed north-west of the city of Canberra.

The History of Orange

The town of Orange in New South Wales, Australia is a historical location, credited with being the home of Australia’s first payable gold discovery in 1851 at Ophir and many subsequent years of gold mining. Orange is situated on what used to be Blackman’s Swamp Creek, and was renamed a few years later and first proclaimed a true village in the year 1846. The town was announced as a municipality in January of 1860, and promptly began to expand as an integral regional centre and national agricultural capital.

Orange today is considered a very cultural town, and hosts a number of different events each year. The Orange Cup event coincides with the Orange local F.O.O.D week, which showcases cuisine and produce from in and around the area.

The Towac Park Racecourse in Orange

The Towac Park Racecourse in Orange was established in the year 1870, and its first spectator grandstand was built just 6 years later. Unfortunately, a fire devastated the timber grandstand in 1973, but in recent times the racecourse has been reconstructed to offer modern facilities to spectators and competitors alike, including a modern grandstand, an under-cover racing betting ring and Tote amenities. This racecourse is set at the foothills of Mt Canobolas, making it a picturesque and ideal setting for a day at the races. Towac Park Race Club is expected to hold 9 race meetings in total during the 2015 to 2016 race season. Enough to win better rewards and jackpots on horse betting and other related games

Racing Orange Initiative and Racing Club

Racing Orange is the primary initiative that oversees the Orange Cup racing event. Racing Orange is an enterprise with the purpose of creating a more appealing environment for trainers, spectators and owners when attending race meetings. This initiative was started in 2011 as a collaboration between company Racing New South Wales and the Orange City Council, with the intention of revamping the Towac Park racecourse’s facilities and revitalising racing as a spectator sport at this venue. The refurbishing of the Towac Park track is estimated to have cost $1.4 million.

Orange Cup Event Details

The Orange Cup in the town of Orange incorporates a country race with other family-orientated features for visitors of all ages such as live entertainment and music, a Fashions on the Field competition worth up to $2,000 in prizes and kids entertainment and activities as well. This race is considered to be the Racing Orange Club’s flagship race, being run at 1,600 metres and worth $50,000 in prize money, with the 2015 Orange Cup having taken place on the 10th of April.