LEETON is still hopeful of running three heats of the MIA Breeders Plate next week.
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Last week there were still 40 two-year-olds nominated for the race, however, that number has dipped below 30.
Secretary Joanne Punch said a number had been injured and withdrawn, but was the club was still looking at running three heats of the $25,000 Listed feature.
Punch is still waiting on final confirmation of numbers before fields are released on Monday.
The impressive debut of Col Thomas's Bettermatch has seen a number of trainers opt to avoid the race series.
Bill Trembath's two-year-old Regal Nightshade has been another impressive youngster.
He's been given two public displays by Trembath, winning on both occasions.
He trialled at Leeton on Tuesday night, defeating Brigit Buafai by 10 metres, running a mile rate of 2:00:0 and a last half of 59.4 seconds.
The son of Lis Mara also won a trial at Leeton on December 2, defeating Norm Diebert Jnr's race winner Sonny Orlando by 20 metres
There is strong talk Belinda and Luke McCarthy have a nice two-year-old to compete at Leeton over their three-day carnival.
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THE next step for Wagga's new harness racing track will be discussed in February.
Plans for the $7 million centre are in the hands of the Southern Joint Regional Planning Panel.
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) chief executive John Dumesny said once plans went to the panel the final conditions of the submitted development application will be known.
HRNSW officials met with North Wagga residents last month to try and relieve concerns regarding the tracks positioning in a flood plain.
It was initially hoped work would begin on the project in late 2014, but a new date will be determined if and when the plans gain approval.
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THE long term future of the all trotters meeting at Coolamon is under threat.
The NSW Trotters Association has written a letter highlighting their concerns with the club holding the meeting in the future.
The club's stables, track surface and circumference were some issues highlighted by the association.
Coolamon has the biggest track in the Riverina, but the association claimed the turns on the 1053 metre track are too tight for younger trotters to handle.
Coolamon has held every all trotters meeting in the state since the race day was created in 2001.
Last year the Riverina was treated by the appearance of Spidergirl, who claimed the feature race, as well as a monte race.
The special race day has been confirmed at Coolamon for 2015, but the matter will be discussed more in the future.
One option would to be hold the meeting at Wagga once its new track is built.
Goulburn was considered for this year's meeting, but doesn't offer the same ease of travel for Victorian trotters as Coolamon does.
Coolamon's all trotters meeting has been moved from Anzac Day to April 19 with the smaller Pacers Cup meeting to return to its traditional Anzac Day date.
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A DOUBLE at Wagga on Tuesday night completed a couple of big days for Narrandera trainer Shaun Snudden.
Snudden raced horses at Wagga and Canberra's meetings on Saturday, and while unsuccessful at Wagga, he came home with three winners from the nation's capital.
Three-year-old filly Cams Victories scored first up, defeating the Ray Walker-trained Lorna Ella by 6.8 metres.
Wagga track record holder Modern Era won his second-straight race before Classiemahon scored on debut for the Snudden stable.
Snudden didn't have the same luck in the $10,000 Christmas Cup with Riseandriseagain breaking when leading before finishing third.
The Ron Tarbit-trained Goezee finished fourth in the race.
Snudden then trained a race-to-race double at Wagga with Dilingers Princess and Libiamo.
After establishing a big lead Libiamo held on to defeat Harrys Flight and score her first win since June 2013.
Snudden's regular reinsman Corey Bell drove all five
winners, but faces a week on the sidelines.
Bell was handed a seven-day suspension after stewards deemed he caused interference to Trevor Sutherland's runner Snozz Box when moving to the lead when Dilingers Princess.
After a slow first half of 67 seconds, the five-year-old scored an impressive 9.3 metre victory.
Bell was also slugged $100 for the slow sectionals.
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IT WASN'T just Shaun Snudden winning races at Canberra on Saturday night.
Mirrool trainer Stephen Maguire got in on the fun with Beatle Man a 7.1 metre winner.
Originally the first emergency for the feature race of the night, Maguire opted for
Pulling the right rein, Beatle Man was able to lead all the way to score his first career win.
The Four Starzzz Shark four-year-old hadn't been far away on a number of occasions, with another five placings from his 10 starts, but broke through for a well deserved win.
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ONLY one driving position needs to be confirmed for the World Driving Championships that NSW will host next year.
Australia is the only nation not to announce its representative.
Wagga will hold a leg of the series on February 24, which pits 10 of the best drivers from across the world against each other.
The drivers who will race in Wagga are defending champion Pierre Vercruysse (France), Tim Tetrick (USA), Jody Jamieson (Canada); Knud Monster (Denmark), Tony le Beller (France), Hugo Langeweg Jnr (Netherlands), Dexter Dunn (New Zealand) and Bjorn Goop (Sweden).
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RIVERINA-owned Jokers Tothe Right scored his 12th career win at Menangle on Friday.
Since moving to the Bruce Birch stable in July, the gelding has won eight starts and has only been unplaced in two of his 14 starts.
Jokers Tothe Right worked forward to lead before scoring by 1.9 metres.
The four-year-old is engaged in a similar race tomorrow.
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RAFFERTY Delights has already made his move to Queensland profitable, with the Wagga-owned pacer scoring at Redcliffe last week.
Formerly trained by Stephen Maguire, the four-year-old has had three starts for new trainer Grant Dixon.
After finishing second in his first Queensland run on November 26, Rafferty Delights has won his next two starts at Redcliffe.
His latest winning effort was clocked in 1:57.6.
He raced again at Redcliffe last night.
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JUNEE will hold the only meeting in the Riverina until Leeton's Breeders Plate Carnival.
A six-race program has been set down for Sunday.
The meeting starts at 6.42pm with the last race at 8.55pm
Leeton is set to race three times in the next two weeks, with the first two night of the carnival run back to back, before the final night on New Years Day.
Albury has also retained its New Years Eve.