NEW Wagga trainer Todd Smart has enjoyed what he deems "a good month".
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Smart enjoyed the first win of his training career last Saturday when Reka Outlaw posted a dominant 3½ length victory in the PRD Nationwide Benchmark 55 Handicap (1300m).
It capped off a big month after he and partner Jehanne welcomed a new baby boy, Harry.
Smart also enjoyed his 32nd birthday last Thursday.
"It's great, it's been a good month," Smart said.
"It was good to get my first winner for David Tout, because he actually got me started in racing and has supported me.
"Hopefully it's onwards and upwards from here."
It only took seven starters for Smart to enjoy his first winner.
Reka Outlaw was only having his second start for Smart and the fledging Wagga trainer is eyeing off bigger things with the five-year-old.
"He's a work in progress ... but I don't think we've seen the best of him yet," Smart said. "I think we now realise he's a contender for the Country Championships.
"We'll head down that alley."
Smart and connections also pulled off a nice plunge with as much as $12 taken about Reka Outlaw with corporate bookmakers.
He started $5.00 on track.
Smart has now seven horses in work and is looking forward to his hometown feature next month, the Snake Gully Cup, with Art Thou Ready.
"I've got seven in work now and obviously wanting to build," Smart said. "I'm still getting to know people but hopefully I can show them what I can do."
Smart thanked Tout and Martin Hey for their support since taking out his trainer's licence in May this year.
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JERILDERIE trainer Phil Sweeney will head to Moonee Valley on Friday night with in-form fair Sweet Emily and Final Jest.
Sweet Emily was an impressive last-start winner at Swan Hill when breaking the 975 metre course record when bolting in by 5½ lengths in a time of 54.94 seconds.
The first-up romp has prompted Sweeney to tackle a $100,000 heat of the 55 Second Challenge (955m) at Moonee Valley with the four-year-old mare.
Sweet Emily, a winner of four of her eight starts, is 17th in the ballot order.
Sweeney has also nominated Final Jest for the $100,000 Country Cup (1600m).
Final Jest took out the Jerilderie Cup two starts ago and then went to Moonee Valley for a sixth placing.
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NOMINATIONS for Southern District Racing Association's (SDRA) Racing Personality of the Year close soon.
Leeton trainer Peter Clancy was the inaugural winner last year and nominations for this year's award close on November 1.
Anyone can nominate or be nominated and nominations should be sent to SDRA secretary Scott Sanbrook at scott@mtcwagga.com.au by Saturday week.
The second SDRA awards night is set to be held on Friday, November 21 at Murrumbidgee Turf Club.
A host of awards will be presented on the night, including SDRA Horse of the Year, 2YO of the Year and the premiership winners.
SDRA secretary Scott Sanbrook has called for industry participants to nominate.
"We're looking for someone who has made a great contribution to racing in the area, as well as popular racing identities," Sanbrook said.
"Peter Clancy was a popular winner last year and we're looking for racing participants from all facets of the industry, from strappers right through to administrators."
Sanbrook encouraged all industry participants to attend the night and to RSVP to scott@mtcwagga.com.au for catering purposes.
The night is free to attend.
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A COUPLE of in-form Southern District horses are set to head to Canterbury on Friday night.
Last-start Canberra winner Heysen is nominated for the $40,000 Benchmark 75 Handicap (1900m).
Heysen has been a model of consistency for Wagga trainer Wayne Carroll this preparation and will relish the jump in distance to 1900m.
Leeton's Lilly Pilly Cup winner Golden Sally is also nominated for Canterbury.
Trainer Peter Clancy has nominated the promising mare for the $40,000 Benchmark 75 Handicap (1100m).
Golden Sally has four wins from nine career starts. Those four wins have come from her past five starts.
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WAGGA trainer Chris Heywood enjoyed a winning double with a difference last Saturday.
Heywood was happy to see Dantains Spirit make it two from two at Murrumbidgee Turf Club, when taking out the Lake Village Foodworks Class One Handicap (1200m).
Heywood was also successful at the Fernhill picnic meeting in Sydney.
Living Fire ($4.60) took out the opening event on the card, a $7500 maiden over 850m, with Rebeka Prest in the saddle.
Heywood and Prest also combined to finish third with Steel Bullet and fourth with Lautrec.
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THE Fernhill picnic meeting also proved a memorable day for Canberra's John Nisbet.
Back in the saddle after 10 years, Nisbet enjoyed the first win of his comeback with a win in the $15,000 Fernhill Cup (1450m) aboard the William Slater-trained Color Purple.
Nisbet recently finished his training career and is riding at the picnics for some fun.
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ANOTHER clash between promising four-year-olds Miss Mellencamp and Mitchell Road will be one of the features at Albury's TAB meeting on Saturday.
Albury will hold its Cox Plate day meeting on Saturday where they received 121 nominations for the seven-race card.
Miss Mellencamp and Mitchell Road are both nominated for the Class Two Plate (1175m).
They both met at Leeton last start where Miss Mellencamp downed Mitchell Road by a half length.
Also nominated for the same race is unbeaten David Hayes trained filly Anaween.
The two divisions of the Benchmark 55 Handicap (1000m) are also set to attract interest.
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HARDEN District Picnic Racing Club will hold its annual Cup meeting on Saturday.
The $7000 Harden Picnic Cup has attracted 13 nominations, including the likes of Late Starter, Pointing To Gold, Central Act and Poker Pro.
The $3500 Trophy Handicap has also drawn some interesting nominations with Our Little Alert, Exchancellor, Our Hussey and The Youngfella among the entries.'
There is 59 nominations for the six-race card.
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PLENTY of Southern District trainers will head to Canberra on Friday.
Wagga trainer Gary Colvin has nominated sprinters Miss Bemuse and Zatigeroo for the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1200m).
A Little Alert, for trainer Brad Witt, is also among a list of quality nominations for the same race.
Other Southern District-trained horses among the nominations for Canberra are Late Starter, Sparkling To Win, Inner Clinch, Regallic, Zakynthos Pripecho, Zanity, Burante, Cabramurra Lad and Zarababe.
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What's On
Racing
Saturday: Albury (TAB), Harden (non-TAB)
Harness Racing
Friday: Wagga (TAB)
Greyhound Racing
Tonight: Wagga (TAB)