About
The Lismore Turf Club
The Lismore Turf Club is a fully functioning racing course, and the premier racing venue, located in North Lismore, on the beautiful Far North Coast of NSW Australia.
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A Potted History
The earliest available records suggest there was horse racing in Lismore as early as 1874 when a 2 day spring carnival was held. The Australasian Turf Register first officially records meetings being held in Lismore in the 1885/6 edition.
From 1874 on, some twenty five bodies are listed as racing in Lismore before the current Lismore Turf Club came into existence in 1968
The first reference to the Lismore Cup is an article in the Northern Star referring to the Lismore Cup Race Meeting held on Wednesday 30 September 1908.
Racing occurred at several venues in Lismore, firstly in the town centre and then in an area southeast of the Showgrounds.
The present racecourse site, previously known as Carlton Park and then Pescud Park, has been Lismore’s racecourse since January 1924. At that time the racecourse was owned by the Lismore Jockey Club. It was subsequently sold to private interests.
In February 1968 the racecourse was owned by Mrs M Warden of Nundle and managed by her uncle Mr A.W. Pescud of Ballina. The grounds were then purchased by the AJC “in the general interest of racing” to ensure that the racecourse continued to exist.
In 2001 the AJC indicated its wish to sell the racecourse and the Lismore Turf Club Committee took the opportunity to make the purchase. The Lismore racecourse is one of only a handful of racecourses in Australia, let alone New South Wales, which is owned by the actual Turf Club.
On the Sunday prior to the Lismore Cup meeting, the Lismore Turf Club previously held the Rousillon Handicap. This race is named after the champion galloper Rousillon who raced from 2yrs to 12 yrs, starting 163 times for 45 wins and 53 placings. He won 17 times in Lismore (including 2 Lismore Cups – 1971 and 1972) and 10 times in Ballina (one Ballina Cup – 1965).
22 January 1908
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The Lismore Turf Club acknowledges the marvellous research done by C J Bone, a former Ballina/Lismore Magistrate, in his publication ‘All the Winners – Racing at Ballina and Lismore‘, from which this summary is taken.