MURRUMBIDGEE Turf Club has finished its drainage works five days earlier than scheduled.
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It has been a hectic couple of days at the MTC with yesterday's dramas with the postponed meeting but in among all the action was the completion of the drainage works to the course proper.
The third and final stage, the top dressing of the track, was completed on Monday in a result that will give the track an extra five days to recover.
The first meeting back on the course proper will be April 13.
MTC chief executive Scott Sanbrook paid tribute to the work of Turf Drain Australia.
"They finished five days earlier than scheduled which was a terrific effort," Sanbrook said.
"They worked a lot of long days in 40 degree heat and did their very best so we couldn't be happier with the job Turf Drain did."
Sanbrook said the early finish will benefit the track.
"It's definitely a bonus," Sanbrook said.
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SEVERAL trainers jumped at the opportunity to nominate for Goulburn on Friday yesterday.
Nominations for the majority of the eight-race Goulburn card were extended until 11am today where a few trainers grabbed the chance to enter horses that were scheduled to race at Wagga.
Reka Outlaw, Romancing To Win, Oh Lonesome Me and Zaritzie are just some of those among the nominations for Goulburn that were due to run at Wagga.
Wagga trainer Tim Donnelly also has Jo Jo Girl entered in a Benchmark 60 Handicap (1600m).
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IT APPEARS champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller has more than one horse being aimed at the $140,000 Wagga Gold Cup on May 2.
Inside Racing last week mentioned that Waller intends for last-start Rosehill winner Junoob to be aimed at the Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) for owners Richard Pegum and Garry Towzell.
Sydney media personality Richard Callander was quick to point out that a horse he is in the ownership of with Waller, I'm Imposing, is also being set the same goal.
I'm Imposing, a winner of the $126,500 Summer Cup (2000m) at Randwick in December, is also likely to be Wagga-bound according to Callander.
"Think Waller will have two-pronged attack as Summer Cup winner at Randwick I'm Imposing is being set same goal," Callander tweeted.
I'm Imposing is another of Waller's overseas imports and has won a total of four races, two in Australia, for career earnings of $245,000.
Callander also mentioned that he hoped to be in attendance at this year's Wagga Gold Cup carnival.
The Warrnambool carnival makes it hard for many race goers to get to Wagga but Callander hopes to do both, pending work commitments.
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FORMER Marrar lad Jamie Gibbons is the latest apprentice jockey to base himself at Wagga.
Gibbons has joined the Trevor Sutherland stable on a three-month loan from Bathurst trainer Paul Theobald.
Gibbons was on a family holiday to Bathurst a couple of years ago and never returned after he secured an apprenticeship with Theobald.
Gibbons had his first race ride in December and had six race rides before making the move to the Sutherland stable.
He hoped the move would help him gain more opportunities and he rode two horses for Sutherland at Tumbarumba last Saturday.
Gibbons got a second placing and a fourth placing at his first two rides at his new stable.
Theobald described him as having "the potential to be the next Greg Ryan" in December 2012.
Gibbons claims four kilograms and can ride 53kg.
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DUAL Wagga Gold Cup runner-up Devised will feature in an exhibition gallop at Murrumbidgee Turf Club's postponed race meeting tomorrow. Devised was due to gallop between races at Wagga yesterday and will still do so tomorrow.
Devised will gallop after the first race about 12.15pm.
He is due for a first-up run at Wagga Riverside on February 28 in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1200m) on the way to another crack at the Gold Cup.
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ALBURY trainer Brett Cavanough has nominated Albury Gold Cup winner Niblick for Flemington on Saturday.
Niblick has not been sighted since finishing last in the Benalla Cup in October but was due to trial at Albury last week before the hot temperatures forced the trial to be abandoned.
Niblick is nominated for the $80,000 Open Handicap (1400m) and has been given 58 kilograms.
Cavanough has also nominated Prince Pedro for an $80,000 Rating 0-90 Handicap (1200m), where he has been alotted 56kg.
Mark Zahra is already down to ride both horses.
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ALBURY trainer Natalie Loy enjoyed her first win as a trainer at Tatura last Friday.
Loy enjoyed her first success when Ruthless Lover broke through in the Maiden Plate (1400m).
Loy had her first runner in November and Ruthless Lover is just the second horse she has taken to the races.
King Of Troy managed two placings from six starts and then Ruthless Lover broke through at her second start for Loy.
Starting the $4.00 favourite, Ruthless Lover scored by a length and was ridden by good friend Dean Holland.
Loy is the mother of promising apprentice Brodie Loy and wife of former jockey and trainer Norm Loy.
Meantime, Norm Loy has accepted a job with Kembla Grange trainer Donna Grisedale.
Loy is stable foreman for Grisedale and will spend some more time up there before looking into relocating his family.
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JERILDERIE trainer Phil Sweeney enjoyed a career highlight at Caulfield last week.
Final Jest ($4.20) broke through for a well-deserved victory in the $35,000 Benchmark 70 Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield last Wednesday to provide Sweeney with his first metropolitan win in his own right.
It was his first metropolitan winner since Sweeney started training under his own name in late 2008.
Final Jest had been knocking on the door, with a second placing at Caulfield on January 4, before a sixth-placed finish behind Decircles at Flemington.
Both runs were in Saturday company.
In a family affair, Sweeney's daughter Sally was strapper of Final Jest for the special breakthrough.
Final Jest now has four wins and five placings from 11 starts and looks destined for better things.
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FORMER Wagga racehorse Dynamics made a winning start to his new career in the Northern Territory last Saturday.
Dynamics, formerly trained by Tim Donnelly, won at his first start in the Top End for new trainer Chris Nash.
Dynamics ($5.50) took out the Class B Handicap (1100m) for apprentice Alana Brown in a tight finish.
Dynamics won two races in his time with Donnelly but proved frustrating with a further eight minor placings.
The five-year-old is now raced by new ownership.
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WAGGA jockey Andy Bloomfield is certainly back in the swing of things.
Little over a month after his comeback from an arm injury, Bloomfield stole the show at Tumbarumba last Saturday when riding four of the six winners on the card.
That included the Tumbarumba Cup with Miss Bemuse.
Apprentice jockey Anthony Boyd continued his strong start with another winner, Opal Deception for David Blundell and Michelle Russell.
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COROWA Racing Club will hold a non-TAB meeting on Saturday.
The five-race meeting has attracted 73 nominations with plenty of entries from both sides of the border.
The $6000 Ray Sykes Memorial Benchmark 50 Handicap (1000m) will be the feature with Russwillcrow, Riverbank Dee, Estambul Or Bust and Danz Citi among the nominations.
What's On
Racing
Thursday: Wagga (TAB)
Saturday: Corowa (non-TAB)
Harness Racing
Friday: Leeton (TAB)
Saturday: Junee (non-TAB)
Greyhound Racing
Friday: Wagga (TAB)