RACING
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MURRUMBIDGEE Turf Club will host a new $100,000 feature race in March next year that will link country racing with Racing NSW's premier event, The Championships.
MTC has been selected as one of seven country venues that will hold $100,000 qualifiers where the first two horses past the post will progress to a $300,000 final on the opening day of The Championships.
In a huge boost to the region's trainers and owners, the race at Wagga will be for Southern District-trained horses only.
The race at Wagga is expected to be run in March with the Country Championships Final to be held over 1400 metres at Randwick on April 4.
Wagga trainer Wayne Carroll, Southern NSW's representative on the NSW Trainer's Association (NSWTA), welcomed the announcement on Friday.
"It's fantastic for racing to be able to offer that to a district and not be choked out by bigger city trainers and horses," Carroll said.
"It's really something to aim for, if you've got a horse that is good enough.
"There is still a long way to go for the country to catch up with the city but this is a big plus for trainers around here because we've been waiting for a long time to see these sort of things."
MTC confirmed its status as one of Australia's premier country racing clubs by being selected to host the race ahead of Albury.
MTC chief executive Scott Sanbrook is excited by the opportunity to host such a race.
"It's a wonderful concept to promote country racing.," Sanbrook said.
"The Murrumbidgee Turf Club is delighted to have been chosen among the hosts for the series.
"By restricting the races to horses trained in that region, country-based trainers have been given a golden opportunity to win a high profile race and the lucrative prizemoney which goes with it.
"And the icing on the cake is the fact a couple of Southern District Racing Association horses will be genuine chances to win the $300,000 final."
Further regional qualifying races will be run at Goulburn, Bathurst, Dubbo, Tamworth, Grafton and Port Macquarie.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys said further details of the Country Championship race series will be released next week.
Carroll confirmed he will be doing everything possible to have his stable star Grand Allowance in order for the Wagga qualifier.
The race is set to be a tantalising showdown of Southern District's best with the likes of Living On A Prayer, Sonro, Price Of Glory, Grand Allowance, Devised and others go up against each other.
The race will add to a big month of racing in the Southern District with Albury's Gold Cup carnival to be held in late March.
Minster for Racing Troy Grant was pleased to make the announcement on Friday.
"The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is focused on the long term viability of racing in NSW and having country horses race for significant prizemoney and a place at Royal Randwick highlights the important contribution of country racing," Grant said.
Racing NSW also announced that it plans to fast track the introduction of country showcase meetings.