The gates will open at the Parkes Racecourse at 12pm for the eight race, $175,000 full TAB program.

Parkes Jockey Club President Mark Ross said the Parkes Services Club is sponsoring the Cup for the third year running.

“The Service Club are also sponsoring the satellite race as well as running a free courtesy bus,” Mark said.

“The bus will leave the club between 12 and 1pm and you don’t need to be a member to use the service.

“They will do return runs as needed after the last race.”

Mark said the Gold Cup meeting has attracted large, good quality, full fields.

“A good day of racing is assured with all the usual on course facilities,” Mark said.

“We’ll have a full bar operating and the Parkes Brigade of the Rural Fire Service will be doing a wonderful job of catering for us again with their mobile kitchen.

“They’ll have a barbecue lunch, drinks and snacks available.”

The Jockey Club have secured a large limited edition (#177) framed Winx print to be raffled. 

“It’s a great prize,” Mark said.

“It’s worth $1000. We’ll raffle it this meeting and draw the winner at the June race meeting.”

Mark said the repair job of the main grandstand is progressing along slowly.

“We’ve had a few obstacles,” he said.

“But with the help of Tim McCabe we’ve been able to overcome them and work is continuing.

“It may not be completed for the June long weekend picnic race meeting but we’ll have plenty of seating in the picnic areas for those not in tents.”

by Col Hodges OAM

Lee Van Den Bos who combines her long time career in the nursing profession with training a small team of racehorses at Orange has a good winning chance in the $30000 Parkes Services Club Parkes Cup (1600 metres) on Sunday with her five-year-old chestnut gelding Beau Hoffa.

At the most recent outing Beau Hoffa ridden by Jake Pracey-Holmes led throughout to win convincingly from Brothers In Arms and Mad For Art in the prestigious Soldiers Saddle (1400 metres) at Bathurst on Anzac Day.

Courtney Van Der Werf has the ride at Parkes while much travelled Cowra jockey Mathew  Cahill will handle last start Sapphire Coast winner Gid Up Strop.

Mathew Cahill on Monday won the $120,000 Alice Springs Cup on Ash Grey and on Wednesday rode a winner at Canberra!

Gid Up Strop is trained at Canberra by the partnership of Barbara Joseph and her son Paul Jones while another family taking part in the Parkes Cup is talented young jockey Nick Heywood and his father, trainer Chris Heywood, combining with last start Wagga Wagga 1600 metres winner Class Clown.

Well known for success in both harness and thoroughbred racing are Lex and Sally Crosby who have a farm between Eugowra and Forbes.

Their well performed starter in the Cup is Mr Marmalade trained at Goulburn by Danny Williams.

Mr Marmalade ran second at Randwick before finishing second in the Orange Cup and sixth in the Wagga Wagga Cup won by the Chris Waller trained Life Less Ordinary.

Noel’s Gift finished second to Cosmologist in the $150,000 CDRA Country Championship Qualifier at Mudgee for trainer Gayna Williams while other chances in a very strong Cup field include Wellington Cup winner Failed Approach and Miami Dade, recently placed twice at Canterbury.

First of 8 races at Parkes TAB meeting on Sunday is at 12.25pm.