Eligibility

Eligibility Date

To contest The Evergreen Turf Country Championships in 2025, horses must legitimately be under the care of a NSW country trainer with a current stable return lodged on or before midnight 6 April 2024, being the eligibility date. The lodgement date of the stable return will be the sole determinant of the eligibility date.  The trainer must be licensed and operate from one of the following eight designated country racing regions in NSW. 

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- Mid North Coast

- South East

- Central Districts

- Southern Districts

- Northern Rivers

- Hunter & North West

- Western

- BHFWRA

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​For the avoidance of doubt, horses trained in country regions outside of NSW and not in accordance with the definition of a country area in the Racing NSW Local Rules of Racing, are not eligible to compete.

 

Horses trained by a trainer that is the holder of a metropolitan or provincial licence are not eligible to compete.  

 

Horses with a stable return or trained by a trainer at Canberra or the Australian Capital Territory are deemed to be in the South-East region.

 

Horses transferred to a country stable after the eligibility date are not eligible to contest The Evergreen Turf Country Championships, unless eligible to compete in that region prior to being transferred. A horse that transfers from one of the eight designated country racing regions above to different region after the eligibility date, is not eligible to contest The Evergreen Turf Country Championships. 
 
Must Remain within Eligible Stable for Twelve Months
Horses contesting the 2025 Evergreen Turf Country Championships must for twelve months after the race, remain under the care of a trainer eligible for the race. 
 
Where a horse is transferred from an eligible stable to a provincial, metropolitan, interstate or international stable within twelve months of the Final, failing to comply with this important race condition, Racing NSW may impose a penalty on the connections including the forfeiture of any prizemoney won contesting the series.

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Racing NSW will require that owners undertake to abide by this condition.

 

Horses may be transferred between trainers eligible to compete in the Evergreen Turf Country Championships, during the twelve-month period following the race.

 

This provision does not apply to horses retired from racing within a twelve-month period.

 

Racing NSW may at its absolute discretion provide permission for a horse to transfer to a non-eligible stable within the twelve-month period following the race, on application to Racing NSW. 
 
Minimum of One NSW Race Start
Horses must have had at least one NSW race start for an eligible trainer to be eligible for the Country Championships.

Dual Training Locations
Horses trained by a trainer who holds a licence to train at one of eight designated country racing regions in NSW and at a provincial, metropolitan, or interstate racecourse are not eligible to compete in The Evergreen Turf Country Championships. 

Location and Training of Horses
Whilst in training, from the eligibility date, the horse must remain located at the trainer’s nominated training location and under the care of the nominated trainer. A horse that is spelled during the eligibility period must have a stable returned lodged advising the location of the said horse. The spelling of a horse will not render the horse ineligible for The Evergreen Turf Country Championships, provided it is immediately returned to the original nominated trainer when returning from the spell and the stable return amended accordingly. 
 
Location of Horse Prior to Final
Subsequent 30 March 2025, all horses included in the final field (including emergencies) may be relocated to a metropolitan or provincial region. A horse that is found to be located in a metropolitan or provincial region prior to 30 March 2025, other than short term domicile in order to contest a race, may be ruled ineligible to compete in The Evergreen Turf Country Championships Final.  

Racing NSW the Sole Judge of Eligibility
Racing NSW will be the sole judge to determine eligibility to compete in The Evergreen Turf Country Championships.