Taree Krambach Gold Cup 2026
Part 1 | Where the Manning River Meets the Winning Post
Friday 16 October 2026 | Manning Valley Race Club
Chapter 1
A River, a Town and a Little Country Charm
Race Day Co Team - Gareth and Kylie
There is something about arriving in a country town with a river running through its heart. The pace seems to change, the landscape opens up, and suddenly the journey becomes just as interesting as the destination. For Gareth and Kylie, the road into Taree offered exactly that feeling, with the green countryside of the Manning Valley providing a welcome change of scenery as another Country Cup adventure began.
The Manning River has long been central to life in this part of the Mid North Coast. Its waters have shaped the surrounding farmland, supported generations of farming families and helped establish Taree as a commercial centre for the district. Dairy farming, timber and agriculture all have their place in the valley’s history, while the river itself remains one of the town’s most recognisable features. It’s a landscape where the countryside and the coast are never very far apart.
Gareth, still finding plenty to admire about Australian country life, looked across the river as Kylie pointed out the surrounding district. “You Australians do have a rather wonderful habit of putting your towns in beautiful places,” he remarked. Kylie smiled. “Wait until you’ve met a few locals. They’ll tell you the river’s beautiful, the fishing’s terrific, and their grandfather once caught something twice the size of anything you’ve ever seen.” Gareth laughed. “So, much the same as home, then. Just bigger fish and considerably better weather.”
But beyond the scenery, there is something else that gives the Manning Valley its character. Taree, Wingham, Krambach and the smaller communities scattered throughout the district share a history of working together, supporting local events and maintaining traditions that stretch back generations. And few traditions bring those communities together quite like a day at the races.
Chapter 2
Two Racing Traditions, One Great Cup Day
Country racing has deep roots in the Manning Valley, and the story of its race clubs is one worth telling. Racing at Krambach dates back to the nineteenth century, while Taree and Wingham developed their own proud racing traditions. When the Bushland Drive racecourse opened in 1974, it marked a new chapter for the district, with community involvement and volunteer effort helping establish a home for future generations of racegoers.
The traditions eventually came together under the Manning Valley Race Club, formed in 2018 through the amalgamation of the Taree-Wingham and Krambach racing clubs. Rather than allowing those individual histories to disappear, the new organisation brought them together, preserving the names and memories that had meant so much to local racing families. Today, the Taree and Krambach Cups share the spotlight on one of the district’s biggest racing occasions.
For Gareth and Kylie, arriving at Bushland Drive was another reminder that country racing is about considerably more than the horses. Behind every Cup meeting are the people who prepare the grounds, organise the celebrations, welcome visitors and ensure the traditions continue. Trainers, jockeys, owners, sponsors and volunteers all contribute, but so do the families who return year after year, sometimes occupying the same familiar patch of grass beside the mounting yard.
And this Friday promises another memorable occasion. The Taree Gold Cup, run over 2000 metres, carries a $100,000 purse and offers its winner a place in the $3 million Big Dance at Royal Randwick. Alongside it, the Krambach Cup adds another chapter to the district’s racing story. For some connections, the afternoon will be about local pride and a treasured country trophy. For others, it could provide the opportunity to carry their racing dreams all the way to Sydney.
As the pair took in the surroundings, Gareth turned to Kylie with a thoughtful expression. “You know, I rather like the idea of two old racing clubs joining forces without forgetting where they came from.” Kylie nodded. “That’s country racing, Gareth. People remember the horses, the winners and the good times. And they make sure the next generation gets a chance to enjoy them too.” Gareth glanced towards the winning post. “Quite right. Now, speaking of winners, I assume you’ve been studying the form?” Kylie grinned. “Of course. Have you?” He paused. “I was rather hoping you’d ask me that tomorrow.”
This Friday promises another memorable occasion as the Manning Valley Race Club presents its 2026 Taree & Krambach Cup meeting, with Sky International once again lending its support as a major sponsor. It’s a celebration that stretches well beyond the winning post, with fashions on the field, live music, food, entertainment and plenty of country hospitality adding to an afternoon of racing. For the locals, it’s a chance to celebrate two proud racing traditions. For the visiting owners, trainers and jockeys, there’s silverware to chase and perhaps another step towards Royal Randwick.
Next: Part 2 | The Taree Gold Cup Preview
Part 2 | Chapter 1
A Quiet Afternoon on the Greens
The morning had begun pleasantly enough in Taree, although the clouds gathering over the Manning Valley suggested the weather might have other ideas. With Friday’s Cup meeting approaching, Gareth and Kylie had accepted an invitation from a friendly racing club volunteer to visit the Railway Bowling Club, where preparations were already underway for Thursday evening’s Calcutta.
It was supposed to be a quick visit, a chance to meet a few locals and perhaps enjoy lunch before the evening festivities. But country hospitality has a habit of changing the best-laid plans, and before long the pair found themselves standing beside a beautifully kept bowling green, being invited to join a social game.
Gareth initially protested that he hadn’t played in years. Kylie raised an eyebrow. “Played? You never mentioned you could bowl.”
“My old man played every weekend back home,” Gareth replied. “Used to drag me along when I was a youngster. I picked up a thing or two.”
That turned out to be something of an understatement.
While Kylie was still discovering that a lawn bowl doesn’t travel in a straight line, Gareth was quietly sending his deliveries towards the jack with surprising accuracy. His new teammates were suitably impressed, although Kylie suspected he was enjoying the attention rather more than he cared to admit.
“You’ve been keeping secrets, Gareth!”
“Wouldn’t call it a secret, love. Just didn’t think my bowling career would come up while covering Australian horse racing.”
By mid-afternoon, the first drops of rain began falling across the greens. Nobody seemed particularly surprised. A few of the regulars glanced towards the sky, discussed Friday’s racing surface, and continued playing until the showers became too persistent to ignore.
For Gareth and Kylie, it was another unexpected pleasure of travelling through country Australia. They had arrived to learn about a horse race and somehow found themselves among new friends, sharing stories over a game of bowls.
And the evening’s Calcutta was still to come.
Chapter 2
New Friends, Old Traditions and a Calcutta
By Thursday evening, the Railway Bowling Club had taken on a different atmosphere. The bowls had been packed away, the tables were filling, and the familiar sounds of country racing conversations drifted across the room. The Calcutta was bringing together racing enthusiasts, club supporters and locals looking forward to one of the Manning Valley’s biggest sporting occasions.
Kylie had barely walked through the door before being welcomed by several ladies associated with the bowling and racing clubs. Before long, she was swapping stories about her years in the Orange wine industry, country hospitality and the remarkable number of friendships she’d made since joining Gareth on the road.
Gareth, meanwhile, had found himself beside a seasoned local racing follower who had spent years watching horses compete at Bushland Drive. Having discovered Gareth’s bowling ability that afternoon, the gentleman was now curious to see whether his knowledge extended to thoroughbreds.
“Right then, Englishman. Who wins the Cup tomorrow?”
Gareth laughed. “You’ve got the wrong bloke, mate. I can get a bowl near the jack, but picking a winner’s another matter entirely.”
His new companion unfolded the form guide.
“Well, Fierceness is the one they’ve all got to beat. Three wins from his last four starts, and he’s won his last two. Ashley Morgan’s aboard, and the horse knows how to win over a mile.”
The conversation soon turned to I’ve Bean Tryin’, fresh from an impressive victory at Canberra, and Pier Pressure, whose recent Warwick Farm performance suggested she could be competitive at attractive odds. Montpellier also deserved consideration, although drawing barrier thirteen presented an additional challenge.
Then Gareth noticed a familiar name.
“Spicy Lu. Hang on, wasn’t that horse at Dubbo?”
“Certainly was,” came the reply. “Went forward, travelled up near the speed, then had nothing left when they straightened. But don’t be too quick to dismiss him. He’s third-up now, they’re putting the winkers on, and he has form suggesting a softer track might suit.”
Gareth looked towards the window, where the evening sky had turned a deep shade of grey.
“So a bit of rain might change things?”
“Rain changes plenty in racing, son. Just depends which horses enjoy it.”
Across the table, Kylie caught Gareth studying the form guide with unusual concentration.
“Careful, Gareth. You’ll be calling yourself a racing expert next.”
“Not a chance, love. I’m just trying to work out which horse is going to pay for our dinner.”
The laughter continued as the Calcutta got underway. For Gareth and Kylie, the evening had become much more than a racing function. It was another reminder that country Cups belong as much to the communities supporting them as to the horses competing on the track.
Chapter 3
The Gold Cup, the Weather and
a Road to Randwick
Friday’s Sky International Taree Gold Cup promises to be one of the most intriguing contests of the country racing season. Sixteen hundred metres, a $100,000 purse and, perhaps most importantly, Big Dance eligibility for the winner and runner-up. With the $3 million finale at Royal Randwick drawing closer, there is considerably more at stake than the handsome trophy awaiting the winning connections.
And this year, the weather may have a significant say in the outcome.
The track was already rated Soft 7 when the fields were released, with further showers forecast around Friday afternoon. For some runners, the testing conditions could prove troublesome. For others, they may present exactly the opportunity their connections have been hoping for.
Fierceness heads the early market around $3.80, and understandably so. Matthew Smith’s progressive gelding has won three of his past four starts, including his latest two, and boasts an excellent record over 1600 metres. With Ashley Morgan aboard, he looks a worthy favourite, although a genuinely testing surface adds another consideration.
I’ve Bean Tryin’ is another with strong claims. The Matthew Kelley-trained runner arrives following an impressive 1400-metre victory at Canberra and has form suggesting he can handle rain-affected ground. At around $6, he shapes as one of the leading challengers.
Montpellier, representing the powerful Annabel and Rob Archibald stable, has been kept safe in betting despite an awkward barrier thirteen. Pier Pressure, meanwhile, brings consistent metropolitan form into the contest, including a narrow third at Warwick Farm. Both deserve respect.
But perhaps the most interesting runner is Spicy Lu.
The Nick Olive-trained galloper disappointed in the Dubbo Cup, fading badly after racing prominently and eventually finishing thirteen lengths further back than even his most optimistic supporters would have hoped. In fact, the official margin was seventeen lengths. Yet racing has a habit of rewarding those prepared to look beyond one poor performance.
Now third-up from a spell, with winkers added and a softer racing surface potentially in his favour, Spicy Lu may be capable of a considerably better showing. Whether that improvement is enough to trouble the leading contenders remains to be seen, but at around $10 he certainly adds intrigue to the contest.
For Gareth and Kylie, Friday will be another chance to experience the excitement of a country Cup, this time with a few new friends cheering alongside them. Gareth has already promised his bowling companions that he’ll return for another game one day, although Kylie suspects his sudden interest in the form guide may have something to do with the selections offered by his new racing adviser.
As the horses make their way towards the barriers for the 4:50 pm feature, the attention will turn to the track, the weather and sixteen hundred metres of opportunity.
Two horses can take another step towards Randwick, but only one will be remembered as the 2026 Taree Gold Cup winner.
And somewhere among the crowd, Gareth may be wondering whether picking a winner is quite as straightforward as drawing a bowl to the jack.
​
Next: Part 3 | The Taree Gold Cup Review
Part 3
An Old Warrior, a Wonderful Ride
Chapter 1 | The Old Boy Still Has It
By late Friday afternoon, the Manning Valley Race Club was ready for its biggest moment of the week. The Sky International Taree Gold Cup had brought together a competitive field, a rain-affected track and plenty of hopeful connections, all with one eye on the road to Randwick.
For Gareth and Kylie, it had been quite a visit. From an afternoon of lawn bowls and a lively Calcutta at the Railway Bowling Club to the excitement of Cup Day, they’d discovered once again that country racing was about far more than what happened between the barriers and the winning post.
Now, with the 1600-metre feature underway, there was only one thing on everyone’s mind.
The favourite, Fierceness, had arrived with an impressive winning record, while Montpellier, Sosino and I’ve Bean Tryin’ all attracted their share of support. But as the race unfolded, it was the eight-year-old I’ve Bean Tryin’, ridden by Alysha Collett, who would have the final say.
From barrier nine, Collett worked her way into a valuable position along the inside, settling three pairs back on the rail. Trainer Matt Kelley later admitted that his horse had given him a few anxious moments from the 600 metres, appearing to lose momentum at stages as the leaders maintained a strong pace.
But the old fellow wasn’t finished.
As the field turned for home, I’ve Bean Tryin’ found the finishing effort his trainer knew he still possessed. Collett’s patient ride had given him every opportunity, and when it mattered most, the gelding answered the call.
I’ve Bean Tryin’ was the winner of the 2026 Sky International Taree Gold Cup.
Sosino, carrying 59.5 kilograms for Annabel and Rob Archibald with Aaron Bullock aboard, finished second, while Creative Righteous and Lensman filled third and fourth.
And with the winner and runner-up securing their places on the Big Dance qualifying trail, the afternoon had delivered something even more valuable than a country Cup trophy.
For Gareth and Kylie, watching among their new Manning Valley friends, it was another memorable chapter in a journey that had begun with a simple assignment to discover the stories behind country racing.
This time, the best story belonged to an old horse who apparently hadn’t read the part about slowing down.
Chapter 2 | A Horse That Owes Nobody Anything
For trainer Matt Kelley, the Sky International Taree Gold Cup victory was about far more than prize money or a place in the Big Dance. At eight years of age, I’ve Bean Tryin’ had rediscovered his winning touch, following his Canberra success just seven days earlier with a determined performance under Alysha Collett.
Collett gave the gelding a beautifully judged ride, settling him along the rails before asking for his finishing effort. Sosino fought on bravely for second, with Creative Righteous third and Lensman fourth, but the afternoon belonged to a horse whose trainer readily admitted had already given him more than he could ever ask.
After the race, an emotional Kelley described I’ve Bean Tryin’ as the backbone of his training career, a horse who had helped establish the foundations of his stable. Now, remarkably, the old campaigner was heading to Randwick for the Big Dance. For Kelley and his owners, it was another wonderful chapter in a partnership that had already delivered so much.
Chapter 2 | A Quiet Moment at the Winning Post
For trainer Matt Kelley, the Sky International Taree Gold Cup victory was about far more than prize money or a place in the Big Dance. At eight years of age, I’ve Bean Tryin’ had rediscovered his winning touch, following his Canberra success just seven days earlier with a determined performance under Alysha Collett.
Collett gave the gelding a beautifully judged ride, settling him along the rails before asking for his finishing effort. Sosino fought on bravely for second, with Creative Righteous third and Lensman fourth, but the afternoon belonged to a horse whose trainer readily admitted had already given him more than he could ever ask.
After the race, an emotional Kelley described I’ve Bean Tryin’ as the backbone of his training career, a horse who had helped establish the foundations of his stable. Now, remarkably, the old campaigner was heading to Randwick for the Big Dance. For Kelley and his owners, it was another wonderful chapter in a partnership that had already delivered so much.
