The hamlet of Enngonia, these days extending to a small number of buildings and houses around the Oasis Hotel, is in New South Wales some 500 miles north-west of state capital Sydney, and about 60 miles north of Bourke. Despite having few near neighbours to call upon, Enngonia has its own popular racecourse which first held races in 1870, where meetings were initially administered by the Enngonia Race Club, founded in 1870 and later the Enngonia Jockey Club, although The Amateur Race Club and District Race Club have also staged meetings until the outbreak of the First World War. After the War had ended the present day Enngonia Picnic Race Club were founded in 1922 and have traditionally organised 2 meeting per year ever since. However, the highlight of the racing year occurs on the third Saturday in September when the Enngonia Cup over 1400 metres takes place, although this was previously staged in July.

Enngonia Race Club was established in 1870 and a century later it held a celebratory anniversary meeting on 12th September 1970. The earliest course was to the right of the town centre, with the winning post now covered by the Post Office.  In 1877 racing was held in July, but the meeting was cut short because of a tragic accident. Mr W H Rulter, of Pirillie Station, was riding Queen’s Birthday in the Hack Race when his horse ran against a tree causing head injuries to the jockey. Although the doctor, Dr Browne of Bourke, was soon on the scene, the jockey died just before the doctor could reach him. In the early 1880s the racetrack circled the entire town.

By the turn of the century the Enngonia Jockey Club staged races in early January. At the meeting on Monday 8th January 1900 the Enngonia Jockey Club Handicap was won by Mascotte, beating Lady Ratford and Richmond. The New Year’s Handicap went to Goodbye, while the Bridge Handicap saw Liberal beat Trump and Israelite.

The Enngonia Cup (Enngonia Picnic Race Cup) over 1 mile was always the feature race on the card. Listed below are details of some pre-Second World War winners from 1928, although the year previous a 2 day meeting was staged which did not include the Enngonia Cup. That meeting was billed as the Enngonia Turf Club benefit meeting in aid of Bourke District Hospital and Enngonia Bush Nursing Association, taking place on Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th July 1927.
1928 Enngonia Cup over 1 mile was won by Mardith owned by Mr R Egan and ridden by Edgehill, beating Laurus and Irrara
1929 Enngonia Cup over 1 mile was won by Redcard owned by Mr A T Egan and ridden by A Egan
1930 Enngonia Cup over 1 mile was won by Jandra Jill
1932 Enngonia Cup was won by Laurus
1933 Enngonia Cup over 1 mile was won by Redcard (Evens fav) owned by Mr A T Egan and ridden by A Egan, beating Grandool (3/1) and Jandra Jac (3/1) 5 ran
1934 Enngonia Cup over 1 mile was won by Camphor, beating Lady Trebor, with a dead-heat for third between Goodradigbee and Redcard
1935 Enngonia Cup over 1 mile was won by Redcard (Evens) owned by Mr A T Egan and E R Egan and ridden by A Egan, beating Lady Trebor (2/5 fav) and Camphor (5/2) 3 ran
1936 Enngonia Cup meeting was abandoned due to waterlogged course
1937 Enngonia Cup over 1 mile was won by Jandra Jac (2/1) owned by Mr S B Hales and ridden by A Egan, beating The Champ (Evens) and Gold Roo (4/6 fav) 3 ran Bookies in those days were so generous; a 143% book on just 3 runners!
1938 Enngonia Cup over 1 mile was won by Fimbria owned by Mr L G Sharpe and ridden by Sharpe, beating Jandra Jac and The Champ
1939 Enngonia Cup over 1 mile was won by Reclaimed owned by Mr M K Robertson and Mr S B Hales and ridden by M Ryan, beating Tom’s Mistake and Promella 4 ran

Recent Enngonia Cup winners
(A full list of previous winners is available on request)
2008 Enngonia Cup ($5,250) over 1600 metres was won by Prince Raheed (5/2) trained by Kylie Kennedy and ridden by Michael Hackett, beating Desert Star and Rocking On 6 ran
2013 Enngonia Cup ($5,180) over 1600 metres was won by Platinum Touch (2/1 fav) trained by Rodney Robb and ridden by Meg Hoey, beating Terasett and Ziazan
2014 Enngonia Cup ($5,820) over 1400 metres was won by Manfred The Man (4/7 fav) trained by Edward Johnson and ridden by Darren Evans, beating Miss Ubiquity and Right of Reply 7 ran
2016 Enngonia Cup ($5,820) over 1400 metres was won by Rusty Motorbike (9/2) trained by Rodney Robb and ridden by Kazu Nakata, beating Emerald Fortune and Right of Reply 7 ran
2017 Enngonia Cup ($5825) over 1400 metres was won by Miss Mellencamp (7/4 fav) trained by Rodney Robb and ridden by Clayton Gallagher, beating Sword Fighter and Rusty Motorbike 5 ran

ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3

652 pages

774 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0

352 pages

400 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7

180 pages

140 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4

264 pages

235 former courses