In a huge coup for the Lismore Turf Club, the 2024 Lismore Cup, and all subsequent Lismore Cups, will be run on a Friday.

Historically, all Country Cups have been run on a Thursday afternoon with a public holiday for the town to shut down and celebrate. Lismore's was a half-day public holiday gazetted by Lismore City Council every two years by councillors.

Over recent years, the public holiday support for these Cups has either been reduced or eliminated in certain areas, including ours.

Secretary Manager of the Lismore Turf Club Scott Jones said the Lismore Turf Club recognises the disruption the recent part-day public holidays have put on our local businesses.

(Daniel Kedraika and Scott Jones at the Lismore Turf Club in front of the winners post)

"We haven’t reapplied for a holiday since COVID and the floods," Scott said.

"Whilst many businesses have still expressed their interest in supporting the Lismore Cup, we believe that the move to a Friday afternoon will suit those businesses better and allow them to choose a part or full-day shutdown of operations."

"We will have a band for our 'After the Last Party again', so for those that still work, they can still make it out for the running of the Cup and the band afterwards." 

Another change for this year's Lismore Cup surrounds the distance.

In recent years, the Lismore Cup has been a 2100 m distance race. With the increasing prize money, the fields have been disappointing. In 2024, the Lismore Cup will be run over 1516m.

"Australia produces the world's best sprinting horses, and with the Lismore Cup being a qualifying race to the Big Dance (1600m race worth $2 million in Sydney on Melbourne Cup day) 4-5 weeks later, it makes sense that the Cup is an equivalent distance. 

"There will still be at least one distance race on the Lismore Cup card, worth up to $50,000."

"The Club realises Cup races are historical for Clubs, and distance changes are not something to consider lightly. However, the Lismore Cup used to be a 7-furlong race (approx. 1400m) between 1940 and the late 1960s," Scott Jones said.

The third change is about the naming sponsor. Rodney Lees Cabinetmaking won the privilege during a Lismore Turf Club function on March 1.

The Rodney Lees Cabinetmaking Lismore Cup will be run on Friday 27th September. Put it in your diaries.