The Tumbarumba Cup has become a familiar and successful hunting ground for Andrew Dale Racing, and this summer the stable will once again kick off its country cups campaign at the unique high-country meeting.
After claiming back-to-back Tumbarumba Cup victories in 2024 and 2025, the Dale stable is chasing a rare hat-trick this year, a feat that would further cement Andrew Dale’s reputation as one of the most consistent performers on the country cups circuit.
Dual representatives Mojo Music and British Poet are set to be aimed at the meeting, with Mojo Music returning to defend his crown after saluting in last year’s edition. Copperfield has also been added to the nominations, further strengthening the stable’s hand at the feature meeting.
“The Tumbarumba Cup is a unique meeting, it’s grassroots country racing at its finest,” Dale said.
“It’s a meeting we’ve historically had success at, so we really enjoy taking our horses there. To win three in a row would be a pretty special feat.”
That success at Tumbarumba is just one chapter in a much broader country cups story.
In recent years, the Andrew Dale Racing name has become almost synonymous with feature country cup victories across southern districts of New South Wales and Victoria, with the stable collecting cups at Berrigan, Towong, Cootamundra, Carrathool, Tumbarumba, Holbrook, Moulamein, Leeton, Deniliquin, Jerilderie, Lockhart, Alexandra, Yea and Balranald, among others.
“For us, the strategy is pretty simple, we tend to target those meetings with horses that we own ourselves,” Dale said.
“Often they’re tried-horse purchases, and if we can pinch a win or two at those country cups it gives us a real thrill and justifies the investment. It’s also great to be able to support the smaller country towns.”
Two horses in particular epitomise the stable’s country cup success, Eamonn’s Memory and Copperfield.
Eamonn’s Memory has been a stalwart for the stable, capturing the Berrigan, Jerilderie, Deniliquin, Carrathool, Griffith and Tumbarumba Cups.
“He’s been an absolute warhorse for us,” Dale said.
“He’s incredibly honest and represents the stable so well every time he goes around. There’s a special story with him too, so every win is monumental.”
More recently, Copperfield has emerged as another standout performer on the country cups circuit.
Purchased in early 2024 for just $11,000 via Inglis Digital, the gelding has delivered a remarkable return on investment, winning the Towong, Ardlethan, Adelong, Deniliquin and Moulamein Cups, while banking more than $120,000 in prize money.
“Copperfield is very similar to Eamonn’s Memory, he’s just so honest,” Dale said.
“He was on song as soon as he arrived and has been one of our better purchases. In 2025 alone, he won the Towong, Ardlethan, Moulamein and Deniliquin Diggers Cups.”
Copperfield also placed in the Ian Reid Sprint, The Ted Ryder Cup and the Holbrook Cup, and is among the nominations again as the stable maps out another strong country cups campaign.
Looking ahead, Andrew Dale Racing will maintain a strong country cups focus this summer and autumn, with Tumbarumba (January 31), Tumut (February 7), Holbrook (February 14), Corowa and Towong (March 7), Finley Autumn Cup at Berrigan (March 14), Ardlethan (March 21), Carrathool (March 28), Tocumwal (April 4), Hillston (April 11) and Deniliquin (April 25) firmly on the agenda over the coming months.
Image: Racing.com
Words: Wilson Mack
