Racing NSW today announced eligibility and conditions for the $2 million Big Dance race to be held at Royal Randwick on Tuesday, 1 November 2022.
The field for The Big Dance will be drawn from the winners and second placed horses of 25 Country Cup races from across NSW.
A Big Dance Wild Card race will also be run at Royal Randwick on 8 October, with the winner and second placed horse from the Wild Card becoming eligible for The Big Dance and exempt from the ballot.
Benchmark rating at the time of final acceptances will then be used to determine the final field from the pool of eligible horses, with the winners of eligible Country Cups receiving preference over any second placegetters.
Attached to this release is a schedule of all eligible races for the 2022 Big Dance. The winners and second placed horses of those races already run will be eligible for the 2022 Big Dance, starting with the Goulburn Cup which was run on 31 October 2021.
The Big Dance will be run at a distance of 1600 metres under quality handicap conditions.
Big Dance 2022 Qualifying Races
| VENUE | DATE | CLUB | RACE | DIST |
| Goulburn | 31-Oct-21 | Goulburn & District Racing Club | Goulburn Cup | 1400m |
| Gundagai | 12-Nov-21 | Gundagai-Adelong Race Club | Snake Gully Cup | 1400m |
| Taree | 21-Nov-21 | Manning Valley Race Club | Taree Cup | 2000m |
| Mudgee | 03-Dec-21 | Mudgee Race Club | Mudgee Cup | 1600m |
| Nowra | 05-Dec-21 | Shoalhaven City Turf Club | Nowra Cup | 1600m |
| (Tamworth) | 12-Dec-21 | Armidale Jockey Club | Armidale Cup | 1600m |
| Moruya | 03-Jan-22 | Moruya Jockey Club Inc | Moruya Cup | 1425m |
| Ballina | 14-Jan-22 | Ballina Jockey Club | Ballina Cup | 1590m |
| Sapphire Coast | 30-Jan-22 | Sapphire Coast Turf Club | Bega Cup | 1600m |
| Albury | 25-Mar-22 | Albury Racing Club | Albury Gold Cup | 2000m |
| Muswellbrook | 01-Apr-22 | Muswellbrook Race Club | Muswellbrook Gold Cup | 1450m |
| Orange | 08-Apr-22 | Racing Orange Ltd | Orange Gold Cup | 2100m |
| Tamworth | 22-Apr-22 | Tamworth Jockey Club | Tamworth Cup | 1400m |
| Wagga | 06-May-22 | Murrumbidgee Turf Club | Wagga Wagga Gold Cup | 2000m |
| Scone | 13-May-22 | Scone Race Club | Scone Cup | 1600m |
| Wellington | 29-May-22 | Wellington Race Club | Wellington Cup | 1700m |
| Grafton | 10-Jul-22 | Clarence River Jockey Club | South Grafton Cup | 1600m |
| Forbes | 31-Jul-22 | Forbes Jockey Club | Forbes Cup | 1600m |
| Coffs Harbour | 04-Aug-22 | Coffs Harbour Racing Club | Coffs Harbour Cup | 1600m |
| Murwillumbah | 19-Aug-22 | Tweed River Jockey Club | Murwillumbah Cup | 1550m |
| Dubbo | 11-Sep-22 | City of Dubbo Turf Club | Dubbo Gold Cup | 1600m |
| Lismore | 22-Sep-22 | Lismore Turf Club | Lismore Cup | 2100m |
| Bathurst | 25-Sep-22 | Bathurst Turf Club | Bathurst Cup | 1800m |
| Port Macquarie | 07-Oct-22 | Port Macquarie Race Club | Port Macquarie Cup | 2000m |
| Randwick | 8-Oct-22 | Australian Turf Club | Big Dance Wild Card | 1600m |
| Coonamble | 09-Oct-22 | Coonamble Jockey Club | Coonamble Cup | 1600m |
To be eligible for the Big Dance, horses must be the official winners or second placed horse in any of the races listed above.
