The Bombala and District Jockey Club’s history is somewhat of a mystery, with no clear picture of when the club formed, or when racing began in Bombala. Secretary, Pia Jackson, said the club would like to plan an anniversary celebration should it find out its birthday. One of the earliest records of racing in Bombala was in April 1868 when the principal race was the Bombala Town Plate over three miles, and worth £25. It was won by Mr Brook’s Swindler ridden by Freebody, beating Mr Eyrie’s Patch. The next year the meeting was held on Tuesday, 13 April, 1869 when the feature race was the Bombala Town Plate over two miles, the results of which were: 1. Jimboy (5/1) owned by Mr W Coulter and ridden by Millington 2. Bronzewing (5/1) owned by Mr R Wilson 3. Swindler (1/2 fav) owned by Mr W Freebody By the 1870s the principal race had become the Bombala Tattersall’s Cup, with three early results shown below: February 1873 Tattersall’s Cup (60 sovereigns) over two miles 1. Maharattan (6/4) owned by Mr A J Joseph and ridden by Attwater 2. Kaffir (1/2 fav) owned by Mr W Cosgrove and ridden by McAllister March 1874 Bombala Tattersall’s Cup (80 sovereigns) over two miles 1. Premier owned by Mr W Kiss 2. Beda owned by Mr A J Joseph 3. Greenboy owned by Mr H Underhill After the 1875 meeting had taken place on Wednesday, 3 March, the newspaper reporter visiting the race commented, ‘The racecourse offers a splendid view of the entire race but has not yet been classified as a recreation ground. The Bombala Jockey Club is in the process of fencing it, and building a new grandstand as the current makeshift stand is ‘not at all ornamental’.’ Wednesday, 3 March, 1875 Bombala Tattersall’s Cup (100 sovereigns) over two miles 1. Starfish owned by Mr Thompson and ridden by Linegar 2. Emerald owned by Mr Shanley and ridden by Treeve 3. Beda owned by Mr A J Joseph and ridden by McGrade Thursday March 4, 1875 Bombala Town Plate Handicap (50 sovereigns) 1. Banker (4/1) owned by Mr Brookes and ridden by Hurley 2. Starfish (3/1) owned by Mr Thompson and ridden by Treeve 3. Priam (2/1) owned by Mr A J Joseph 4. Stockman (10/1) owned by Mr Reed 5. King Tom (2/1) owned by Mr Thompson Bombala Digger’s Jockey Club offered a three pound prize pool for its 1959 Bombala Diggers Cup and the official program in that year cost two shillings. By 1967, the renamed Bombala Jockey Club was offering $600 prize money for its race meeting and the official program was 20 cents.
