The Riverina's richest greyhound race has been put off indefinitely due to the coronavirus crisis.
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The Wagga Gold Cup was set to be run on May 15 with $25,000 going to the winner.
Trainers from across NSW and Victoria usually travel for the event, with last year's cup won by Londonderry trainer Frank Hurst with Good Odds Buddy, a littermate to Million Dollar Chase winner Good Odds Harada.
However with Greyhound Racing NSW implementing regional racing, as a way to continue the sport, the cup it has been removed for the upcoming calendar for the time being.
Wagga racing manager John Patton believes it is the right call in the current climate.
"I don't think you can have a cup without crowds," Patton said.
"It's all about the atmosphere."
It comes as the other two racing codes continue to have feature racing in the city.
Murrumbidgee Turf Club will hold its Gold Cup carnival next week while Riverina Paceway will host the first group one of any code in the region with the Regional Championship Final on May 22.
Patton is still hopeful the lucrative race series will still be run at some stage this year.
"There will be no feature races and they haven't told us when they will be," he said.
"All the features have been put back and Greyhound Racing NSW hold the key to it all, but one of our feature events is around Christmas time so it could be then.
"We will see what happens."
It's not just the Wagga Gold Cup that has been delayed but all feature racing across the state.
Wentworth Park is not being used instead greyhounds have been divided into seven regions with provincial prizemoney for up grabs.
The Riverina has been given the Sunday twilight slot.
Wagga will race on three of the next four Sundays with Temora's meeting on May 10 in between.
Patton is pleased to be able to provide under strict biosecurity measures.
"We've got a big pools of dogs and have a meeting every week up until May 24," he said.
"Temora has a meeting on the 10th (of May) but we are having a meeting on the 26th (of April), the 3rd, the 17th and the 24th (of May) so it allows everyone to try and get a run.
"Once a week is a start."
The schedule for June is yet to be released.
Fields for Sunday's meeting will be released on Wednesday.
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