Bathurst Thoroughbred Racing
We incorporated and rebranded our club to become known as ‘Bathurst Thoroughbred Racing’ in 2012, strengthening our profile and building recognition as a provider of premier country thoroughbred racing in regional NSW.
We are a vibrant club with an annual calendar of events and activities that create a strong sense of community and we offer a range of member benefits to our valued club members.
We enjoy strong support from many local businesses that choose to sponsor our regular race meets, feature race days, fashions on the field activities and more.
Our Tyers Park venue is the key racing centre for the Central Districts region overall and a vital supplier of race meetings for 2nd tier metropolitan and provincial trained gallopers. Given its location and proximity to Sydney, Tyers Park provides the perfect training base for those horses worthy of metropolitan and provincial participation.
Our major meetings, including Bathurst Cup (September) and our feature Soldier’s Saddle Race Day held on ANZAC Day, each bring acclaimed horses, trainers and owners to Bathurst and great excitement with large attending crowds.
Find out about our recent investment in redevelopment projects.
History of racing at Bathurst
The Bathurst region has a long history of racehorse ownership, fuelled by a strong local economy with diverse agribusinesses of stone fruits, grain, sheep and beef cattle.
Bathurst’s links to thoroughbred racing extend back to 1866 with Melbourne Cup winner, The Barb, stabled and trained by John Tait on Stephens Lane, Bathurst, just 1.5kms from the Tyers Park. The Barb’s stables are still in operation today, restored and used privately by market gardeners.
The inaugural race meeting was held at Bathurst Thoroughbred Racing’s Tyers Park venue in 1959, and we have had long and distinguished history in the NSW racing industry for both racing and training.
Horses trained at Bathurst include the winners of a Cox Plate, Villiers and Summer Cup (Rising Prince) the Gosford Guineas (Top of the Nap) and an Epsom Handicap (Gold Circle).
Most notably, former Australian champion galloper Tulloch was owned by Bathurst family the Hayley’s.
Tulloch stood at Haley's Te Koona Stud where he sired two stakes winners, Dahma Star (1967 Christmas Cup) and Valide (1968 SA Oaks), before going onto sire many stakes producing broodmares.
Also on the Tyers Park honour roll is leading rider Hugh Bowman. Apprenticed to local trainer Leanne Aspros, Hugh was highly successful during his tutelage and credits a wonderful grounding for current success to Leanne and to Billy Aspros, (himself a former leading country NSW rider) who provided Hugh with invaluable hands-on guidance.
Our board
Bernard Ryan - President
Director and co-owner of Ray White Mosman, Bernard has 30 years experience in racing administration.
Bernard's family has been actively involved in racing at Bathurst for seven decades.
His knowledge of horse racing and the wider industry in general is a welcome attribute to the BTR board.
Donald Pearce - Treasurer
After over 40 years of dedicated service, Donald Pearce has recently retired from his employment in the local power generation industry. Donald, as director of Lithgow Furniture & Bedding, has over 20 years experience in the local community as owner & operator of a successful retail business, as well as participating in the local community pursuing his much loved passion for the racing industry & horses as an active committee member of the Lithgow Pony Club, which he enjoys undertaking with his small grandchildren.
Graeme Hanger OAM
Graeme Hanger is a retired school teacher, most recently having spent 25 years teaching at Kelso High School. In 2008, Graeme was elected as a Councillor to Bathurst Regional Council, a position he still holds. Graeme was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (2016) for “services to education and the community of Bathurst”. Although new to the thoroughbred racing industry, Graeme brings considerable local knowledge of the community, enthusiasm and an eagerness to learn more.
Karla McDiarmid
Director and owner of Macquarie Medi Spa in Bathurst for over 20 years.
Karla's business passion has seen her named the recipient of endless global, national & local spa industry awards, including being name Best Spa Manager in the World; twice! Karla is a past recipient of the Bathurst Young Business Leader of the Year and continues to volunteer her time with many charities locally as well as helping to train future generations coming through into the skin care industry.
Karla has a love for horse racing that began as a young girl with her father and grandfather always having horses, and Karla shares their enthusiasm and continues to learn about the industry and is looking forward to helping build thoroughbred racing in Bathurst.
Pat Bird
A licensed Real Estate, Stock, Station & Business agent with over 17 years’ experience, Pat started Ray White Oberon in January 2006 and has developed it into a dynamic award-winning business which dominates the area consistently marketing the largest rural holdings in the region.
Pat has built the business by offering clients a full range of services, including sales, property management and livestock sales. Pat has recently been elected to the Rural Chapter committee at the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales.
From there, Pat has then developed (with his business partners), the Ray White Emms Mooney Group. This has developed into one of the leading regional/rural all inclusive estate agencies in New South Wales. It covers a wide range of property types throughout the Central West and has a large selling and Property Management profile.
John Condon
The Condon family has been a prominent local racing lineage throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries.
The family's famed "Milford" property has produced some of the area's most celebrated gallopers headed by the outstanding Gold Circle, winner of the 1981 Epsom Handicap.
A successful owner and breeder in his own right, John has horses trained locally including Whatsin, placed in this year's PANORAMA.
A successful primary producer with great ties to the local community, John will initially focus on our strong ties with the community via the Soldiers Saddle race day and how this event connects with younger participants and potential flow-on effects with our overall racing schedule.
Jenny Douglas
She moved to the area approximately 10 years ago, but has spent most of her working life as a part of the Thoroughbred racing industry. Her involvement includes a foreman at Hawkesbury then onto managing thoroughbred studs that included breeding, sale preparation and pre-training at Scone, Gulgong, Camden and in the Lower Hunter area. This has given me an opportunity to have had a solid overall understanding of the Racing industry.
