WYONG’S MEMORIAL RACE TO HONOUR BRONTE SIMPSON

WYONG Race Club will honour the memory of late apprentice jockey Bronte Simpson at its feature Saturday metropolitan stand-alone meeting on Saturday week.

Along with confirming Limitless Lodge as a new sponsor of the club’s flagship event, the $500,000 The Lakes (1600m), general manager Greg Purcell has announced one of the 10 races will be known as the “Bronte Simpson Memorial”.

Simpson tragically lost her life last week in a single car accident in country New South Wales.

Whilst the 24-year-old was apprenticed to Jane Clement at Mendooran at the time of her death, she began her riding career with Sara Ryan at Wyong and fulfilled every jockey’s dream by winning on Stylebender for fellow Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan at her first ride at Muswellbrook on May 2.

Her provincial breakthrough also came on the same horse at Kembla Grange on July 26.

“Bronte spent much of her time at Wyong, and it is fitting that we should name a race in memory of her at our big meeting on Saturday week,” Purcell said this morning.

“Bronte’s funeral will be held in Victoria, but we are not aware at this time of final arrangements.”

Purcell welcomed Limitless Lodge’s sponsorship of the club’s richest race, which was run for the first time earlier this year and won by the Chris Waller-trained Waterford, ridden by Alysha Collett, in defeating previous start The Ingham winner Robusto.

“Limitless Lodge has a number of properties in the Yarramalong and Dooralong Valleys on the Central Coast, and is a modern facility for pre-training, spelling and breaking-in and rehabilitation of retired thoroughbreds,” he said.

“The mighty Winx was broken in at Limitless Lodge, which has Chris Waller, Coolmore and Vinery Studs and Hong Kong Jockey Club amongst its many high-profile clients.

“We are especially appreciative of Limitless Lodge’s Tim Boland for his support in becoming naming rights sponsor for The Lakes.

“The inaugural meeting on January 11 this year was such a success that many of our sponsors have committed their support again.”

A Benchmark 100 Handicap (1350m) – won by the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr’s Grand Impact – and Central Coast Mayor’s Cup will also feature on the program, which boasts overall prizemoney of $1.86m.

Horses such as Headley Grange and Yorkshire, winners at the inaugural meeting, have reached greater heights.

Headley Grange won the Listed Civic Stakes at Royal Randwick, Group 3 Cameron Handicap at Newcastle and $1.5m Alan Brown Stakes at Rosehill Gardens, whilst Yorkshire confirmed his potential by recently taking the Group 3 Festival Stakes at Rosehill – Group 2 The Ingham at Randwick double.

Meanwhile, Wyong has boosted training facilities by constructing a new horse arena and refurbishing the slow sand track.

Both projects were jointly funded by the club and RacingNSW.

“The horse arena is almost ready for use by our trainers to school their horses, and is being warmly welcomed,” Purcell said.

“We are expecting it will open sometime in January, probably just after The Lakes meeting.

“We replaced 2300 tonnes of sand on the old slow track.

“The new sand underwent comprehensive laboratory testing to ensure it met industry best practice standards.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, DECEMBER 31, 2025 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS