The Central Otago Racing Club race at Cromwell on a Friday late in November, two days before an Otago RC meeting on the same track. The Central Otago Club transferred to Cromwell in 2020 on the direction of Racing Industry Transition Authority after racing at Omakau (52 kilometres away) for some 135 years.

The club, formed in 1883 was known as the Vincent Jockey Club until 1994. Cromwell is a 1600m track with a 350m straight and is utilised by the Otago Racing Club and Wyndham Harness Racing Club for one race meeting a year each. The racecourse is administered by the Central Lakes Equestrian Club who lease the reserve property from the Central Otago District Council. It is used for a variety of purposes. The club was founded in 1999 with funding from various trusts. A new grandstand and amenities facility was built in 2007. The Central Otago club has a membership of some 500, more than any other club in the Gallop South consortium, consisting of 10 clubs in Otago and Southland.

The Central Otago club stages the Clare Memorial Cup, featuring a gold challenge trophy valued in the vicinity of $90,000. The Cup became too valuable for the club to insure and is now kept in secure storage. It contained $400 worth of pure gold when manufactured in England in 1929 and was named after John Clare, a stalwart of the club.

To hear the different options available for this annual raceday held at Cromwell end of November, please contact Jo on cell 021 246 5889 or email [email protected]