A further increase of $90,000 in prizemoney now makes it a legitimate $2m two-day carnival.

It all kicks off on Friday, May 12, with the Darley Scone Cup Race Day, followed with further riches of the Inglis Guineas/Emirates Park Dark Jewel Race Day on Saturday, May 13.

With eight races on the program for each day of the carnival, the Darley Scone Cup, Inglis 2YO Challenge and Pryde’s EasiFeed Noel Leckie Country Cup will highlight Friday’s card. 

Saturday’s Inglis Guineas/Emirates Park Dark Jewel Day is littered with black type racing, with the Emirates Park Dark Jewel Classic, $400,000 Inglis 3YO Guineas, Yarraman Park-Horsepower Luskin Star Stakes, Arrowfield Ortensia Stakes, Segenhoe Woodlands Stakes and Coolmore Denise’s Joy Stakes helping amass $1.4m in prizemoney for this high-quality metropolitan status meet. 

“This carnival is a huge credit to our loyal band of sponsors and dedicated committee for which the club and our stakeholders are very grateful,” Scone Race Club CEO Heath Courtney said.

“A lot of hard work is devoted to making this carnival the showpiece that it is.

“Though without the local horse studs, sales company, feed companies and associated businesses’ significant involvement, this stand-alone meeting would not be possible.

“On the back of a tremendous sales season, this carnival also emphasises the importance of the Hunter Valley to both the breeding and racing industries, at national and international levels.

“This carnival is now attracting Australian and overseas attention with our stand-alone metropolitan status and the carnival’s association with some of the most renowned names in the international racing and breeding industries.

“There has been much talk in the media over recent weeks in regards to horses targeting the riches of the Darley Scone Cup Carnival.

“Early indications are that there will be a large number of nominations, with high-profile horses and trainers again to be prominent among accepters.”

The official world number one jockey Hugh Bowman will, hopefully, be back in Scone chasing his hat-trick of Golden Whip Awards this year. 

A beautifully-mounted trophy, provided by the Macintyre family, is awarded to the most successful hoop over the two-day carnival based on a points system.

The inaugural winner in 2014 was Kerrin McEvoy, with the past two years being secured by Bowman. 

The prestigious Emirates Airline Fashions on the Field competition will again be held on both race days. 

“Emirates Airline and helloworld Scone continue to be our major sponsors, offering a trip for two, flying business class, to New Zealand, with thousands of dollars in other prizes up for grabs from other valued sponsors across the two days,” Courtney said.

“Marquee ticket sales have been as strong as ever and we expect to be close to full capacity in all function areas come early May.

“So, please get your tickets now if you are intending on joining us for ‘city class racing, country style’.”

Buses will again be available to take patrons to and from the racecourse from various locations around our region. 

Details of these services are on the website sconeraceclub.com.au

The Darley Scone Cup Carnival forms the penultimate event of the Scone and Upper Hunter Horse Festival, which is a two-week celebration of the horse, starting on May 4.

“The carnival is still very much a community-focused event,” Courtney said.

“Residents are anticipated to again be squeezing into every corner of the facility to cheer home the Darley Scone Cup winner on the half day public holiday (Friday), with local businesses benefitting from the thousands of visitors to our region.”