Lismore Cup Race Program & Big Dance Details

LISMORE CUP CHANGES – AS OF 2024

Event Date Change: The Lismore Cup has been rescheduled to now run on Friday, instead of the traditional Thursday.

Distance and Prize Money Update: The Lismore Cup will now be run over 1500 metres (previously 2100 metres) and will carry a total prize money of $75,000.

This race will also be eligible for Big Dance qualification.

Here is the updated program for the event:

Lismore Cup (1516 metres) – $75,000 *** Big Dance Eligibility***

Untamed Showcase Sprint (1200 metres) – $50,000

Benchmark 82 Showcase Handicap (2100 metres) – $30,000

Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Showcase Handicap (1300 metres) – $50,000

Class 1 Showcase Handicap (1200 metres) – $30,000

Class 1 & Maiden Plate (2100 metres) – $30,000

Showcase Super Maiden Plate (1200 metres) – $50,000

Country Boosted Showcase Maiden Handicap (1516 metres) – $35,000

THE BIG DANCE

In February 2022 Racing NSW announced the creation of a new race, The Big Dance. Now carrying $3 million in prizemoney, The Big Dance is a 1600m event to be conducted at Royal Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day each year.

Eligibility for The Big Dance will be restricted to horses contesting one of the selected NSW Country Cups throughout the year. The winner and second-placed horses of these Country Cups qualify for The Big Dance.

Horses may contest multiple qualifying races and are not restricted from contesting these races by virtue of winning an earlier qualifying race.

Recently, Racing NSW announced another qualifying race, The Big Dance Wild Card run over 1600m at Royal Randwick in October.

The Big Dance Wild card race is open to any horse that has contested one of the qualifying races, without winning a qualifying race. The first and second placed horses from the race qualify for the Big Dance.

Horses contesting Big Dance qualifying races and finishing third in these races will be eligible for the Little Dance. The Little Dance is a $750,000 race over 1600m held on the same day as The Big Dance.

Horses winning and placed second in the qualifying races will continue to be higher in the ballot order for The Little Dance than third-placed horses.

And another new race was announced to also be run on the first Tuesday in November. The $250,000 The Barn Dance over 1300m is a handicap with no class restriction for three-year-olds and upwards for NSW Country Trained horses only.

Qualifying races for The Big Dance are the following Country Cups:

VENUEDATECLUBRACEDIST
Goulburn5-Nov-23Goulburn & District Racing ClubGoulburn Cup1400
Gundagai17-Nov-23Gundagai-Adelong Race ClubSnake Gully Cup1400
Taree19-Nov-23Manning Valley Race ClubTaree Cup2000
Kembla Grange25-Nov-23Illawarra Turf ClubThe Gong1600
Mudgee1-Dec-23Mudgee Race ClubMudgee Cup1600
Armidale3-Dec-23Armidale Jockey ClubArmidale Cup1900
Nowra10-Dec-23Shoalhaven City Turf ClubNowra Cup1600
Moruya8-Jan-24Moruya Jockey Club IncMoruya Cup1425
Ballina25-Jan-24Ballina Jockey ClubBallina Cup1590
Sapphire Coast4-Feb-24Sapphire Coast Turf ClubBega Cup1600
Albury22-Mar-24Albury Racing ClubAlbury Gold Cup2000
Wellington14-Apr-24Wellington Race ClubWellington Cup1700
Muswellbrook5-Apr-24Muswellbrook Race ClubMuswellbrook Gold Cup1500
Orange19-Apr-24Racing Orange LtdOrange Gold Cup2100
Tamworth26-Apr-24Tamworth Jockey ClubTamworth Cup1400
Wagga Wagga3-May-24Murrumbidgee Turf ClubWagga Wagga Gold Cup2000
Hawkesbury4-May-24Hawkesbury Race ClubHawkesbury Cup1600
Gosford11-May-24Gosford Race Club @ NewcastleGosford Cup2200
Scone17-May-24Scone Race ClubScone Cup1600
Gunnedah26-May-24Gunnedah Jockey ClubGunnedah Cup1600
Narrandera14-Jul-24Narrandera Race ClubNarrandera Cup1600
Grafton14-Jul-24Clarence River Jockey ClubSouth Grafton Cup1600
Coffs Harbour2-Aug-24Coffs Harbour Racing ClubCoffs Harbour Cup1600
Forbes4-Aug-24Forbes Jockey ClubForbes Cup1600
Murwillumbah23-Aug-24Tweed River Jockey ClubMurwillumbah Cup1550
Goulburn25-Aug-24Goulburn & District Racing ClubGoulburn Cup1400
Wyong6-Sep-24Wyong Race ClubWyong Cup2100
Bathurst15-Sep-24Bathurst Turf ClubBathurst Cup1800
Newcastle20-Sep-24NewcastleCameron Hcp1500
Lismore27-Sep-24Lismore Turf ClubLismore Cup1516
Dubbo29-Sep-24City of Dubbo Turf ClubDubbo Gold Cup1600
Port Macquarie11-Oct-24Port Macquarie Race ClubPort Macquarie Cup2000
Coonamble13-Oct-24Coonamble Jockey ClubCoonamble Cup1600
Randwick26-Oct-24Australian Turf ClubBig Dance Wild Card1600
Big Dance Qualifying Races 2024

To check updated winners as the year goes on, head to Racing NSW’s website https://www.racingnsw.com.au/the-big-dance/?main=true

Full Racing NSW Big Dance conditions here https://www.racingnsw.com.au/the-big-dance-race-conditions-incl-little-dance/

For further details, please fill free to reach out to the Club

Scott Jones
Licensee & Secretary/Manager – 0407 213 100