The annual event worth $12,240 with the main race run over 2100m is conducted to coincide with the Young cherry season and has continued to attract a large number of visitors to the town filling most available accommodation outlets, caravan parks and local B and Bs.

Local trainer Colin Grimson and former Cowra reinsman Doug Lee combined to win one of the first Cherry Festival Cups run in 2002 which was run over 2480 metres at the time with the handy nine-year-old Panorama gelding Simon Gosling who had won at Bathurst and Dubbo in previous starts defeating Polo Warrior and Run Johnny Run.

Other local trainers to take home the coveted prize include Barry Lawrence with Safely Scootin in 2004. This Safely Kept mare was bred locally by Ken Attenborough and raced successfully for both Barry and his wife and later for Sydney driver Gavin Fitzpatrick.

Safely Scootin had won at Mooney Valley and was third at her only start on the Young track before winning the cup in that same year.

Western Ruby claimed the prize for Michael Hardy in 2006. The Jaguar Cam seven-year-old mare came into the 2480 metre race with 12 wins to her credit and proved too strong winning by a nose from Their Ways and pole marker That’s The Future for Chris Frisby in a mile rating of 2:04.2.

Former local Garrett Newton won the coveted prize with the locally bred Dymondee in 2008. The D M Dillinger five-year-old mare from Colada Hanover had good Harold Park form coming into the race winning on October 24, 2008 in smart time and this looked the ideal race for the veteran of 10 wins. A winning margin of 15 ½ meters over Tulhurst Kiss and Perfectly Painted and a mile rating of 2:01.3 was a creditable performance for the Eric Basham bred performer.

Bathurst driver Amanda Turnbull currently has the most number of winners in the cup, taking out the prize with the free legged pacer Avonova in 2011 and who continues to race as an 11-year-old in Queensland, having won an outstanding 53 races and collecting $925,181 in prize money.

The now retired grey I’m Blue Double Dee won the race in 2013 with Parramatta taking out the feature race last year.

Previous winners of the Cherry Festival Cup are as follows.

2002 – Simon Gosling – Doug Lee, 2003 – Dinki Di – Chris Frisby, 2004 – Safely Scootin – Barry Lawrence, 2005 – Ricardos Toyboy – Steve Dowton, 2006 – Western Ruby – Michael Hardy, 2007 – NOT RUN – Equine Virus, 2008 – Dymondee – Garrett Newton, 2009 – Rusty Gate – Bill Trembath, 2010 – Imatomo – Michelle Crook, 2011 – Avonova – Amanda Turnbull, 2012 – Our El Nino – Ashlee Siejka, 2013 – I’m Blue Double Dee – Amanda Turnbull, 2014 – A Passion For Aces – Bernie Hewitt, 2015 – Oh I Am The One – Steve Turnbull, 2016 – Parramatta – Amanda Turnbull.