Mudgee Race Club boss Damien Toose says flooding at the track as brought about significant damage

The Cudgegong River and Lawsons Creek both broke their banks in Mudgee on the back of the town's wettest day of 2022 on October 23.

The Bureau of Meteorology says Mudgee received 77mm of rain in that 24 hour period, and the widespread flooding spilled on to the Ulan Road, spread into the town's multi-million dollar Glen Willow sporting precinct and completely wiped out large parts of the neighbouring jockey club.

It's the second flood in a month along the Cudgegong River and more pain looms large on the radar with another rain event predicted for the region next week.

Although a downgrade on the original forecast, there's a 90 per cent chance of rain in Mudgee on Monday and Tuesday, with around 15mm on the radar.

The region is soaked, and Mudgee Race Club CEO Damien Toose says although 15mm isn't a genuine drenching "if we get 5mm these days it's like an inch".

As a result, the club is holding off conducting any major repairs to the track until after next week's predictions pass, and hopefully some drier weather appears on the forecast.

Although not prepared to put a dollar figure on the damage bill at the track, Toose says the flood's impact on the club has been significant.

The sand track has been decimated and the rail is down, too, while lots of water remains on the track.

It's enough of a damage bill to put the club under a bit of stress, especially with the $75,000 Mudgee Cup looming on the first Friday of December.

Toose, though, says "we're still pushing on".

"All roads lead to Friday, December 2" he said, looking ahead to Mudgee Cup day.

"But we obviously understand we're at mercy of the weather at the moment. The older folk around town know the weather better than most and they say we'll be wet through to February.

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"We've been flooded twice in the last month, but people say the flooding we saw on Monday was as significant as it's been before. The sheer volume of water was incredible. People say it's the worst they've seen."

Toose says the track was covered in water during the first flood earlier in October but the second flood's impact was greater.

"The sheer volume this time; higher, deeper, thicker," he said.

"The town was cut off. The rail is down in the same places, but the damage is more significant this time. We can't put up the rail back up if it shows signs of weakness.

"We'll try and get the sand track up and running in the next couple of days for our trainers, for equine welfare we don't want the horses in boxes for a long period of time. We have to get that back up for them.

"But the replacement of the running rail will wait."

A representative of Racing NSW has been in touch with Toose and is expected to head to the track for an inspection.

Toose said the advice ahead of Monday is to keep an eye on things.

"We're hand-tied at present. If we go down the same path as last time it could be all torn down again. We'll play it by ear."

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