Racing NSW made the decision in consultation with Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Wednesday due to a lack of nominations.

There were seven nominations for this year's edition of the $27,000 'Road to the Jericho' Riverina Cup (3800m), in what is NSW's longest race.

The race was set to headline Sunday's meeting at Wagga.

"There was seven nominate, but of those seven, two to three of them were most likely going to run either at Newcastle, there's a 2900 metre race on Saturday, and the other was nominated in town," MTC chief executive Steve Keene said.

"The club's disappointed to not run the prestigious race, which has really gained traction over the last few years but I guess it's another victim of the COVID restrictions."

"We're sure in 2021, and Racing NSW have agreed, it will be back bigger and better."

Last year, 11 starters contested the Riverina Cup.

The biggest issue was that eight of the 11 horses were Victorians and this year, no horses are able to cross the border into NSW.

The race was set to be a 'guaranteed start' race when qualifying for the $304,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool in November. The first Australasian bred horse over the line is an automatic qualifier for the feature.

The Riverina Cup was also set to be the final leg of the Wagga Stayers Series, and worth triple points, but the Trevor Sutherland-trained Jungle Book has the win all wrapped up.

MTC will present the Wagga premierships at Sunday's meeting, along with life membership to former vice-president Michael Inglis.

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RANDWICK trainer John Sargent has maintained his innocence after this week's Wagga Gold Cup inquiry.

Sargent was fined $6000 and House Of Cartier was disqualified from the race after testing positive to 4-hydroxy xlazine, a form of sedative.

Sargent tried to argue the mare was a victim of contamination and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

"I am dumbfounded how it has happened," Sargent told Racenet.

"We tried everything to find out how the substance might have got into her system.

"It's unbelievable. I haven't had a positive test in 40 years of training.

"It's disappointing for the owners given she is a mare and it was a black type race."

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EXPERIENCED Wagga jockey Mick Travers made a successful return to riding at Gundagai last Sunday.

Travers made his return at Gundagai from six months off with injury and struck immediate success.

In his first ride back, Travers steered Sheeza Menzies ($15) to victory in the Tooheys New F&M Maiden Plate (1400m).

Travers was returning from a broken foot, suffered at Albury in February when he was dislodged from Audrey's Destiny when she bucked shortly after the start.

It was the perfect start for Travers, and Wagga trainer Trevor Sutherland, in what was the first race of the Southern District season.

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IT WAS also a memorable day for apprentice jockey Nyssa Burrells at Gundagai last Sunday.

She scored on the Martin Stein-trained Zoey Lass ($12) in what was her first win since December 2017.

Burrells spent more than two years out after a career-threatening fall at Warwick Farm jumps outs, where she was placed into an induced coma after suffering a bleed on her brain, undergoing immediate surgery.

She remained in a coma until January 9 before beginning the path back to race riding.

Burrells had her first race ride back in June and got her breakthrough at Gundagai on Zoey Lass.

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TALENTED Wagga jockey Nick Heywood has again been sidelined with injury.

Heywood had to be replaced from rides at Forbes on Monday after scans revealed a fracture in his hand.

Heywood came off Supplyzing on the way to the gates at Canberra last month and continued riding under the impression it was purely bruised.

But scans last week revealed a fracture and Heywood is expected to be out for about a month.

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NEW Wagga Gold Cup-winning jockey Brodie Loy has his sights set on a big season.

Loy has been going ton extreme lengths to ensure he can get his weight under control in the right fashion.

The Albury-based hoop enjoyed a successful return to the saddle last season, riding 79 winners including a Wagga Gold Cup win after the promotion of Maurus to first place.

He is now working hard to ensure he can kick on to new heights this season.

"The biggest thing is I've got to get my weight under control," Loy said.

"I've been pretty dedicated with that to try and smash that out. I'm two, three kilos off being able to have a good crack at riding the minimum. I'm getting there slowly.

"I've been vegan now for about five months, haven't had a beer in about five months so I've been going really hard."

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LOY will get his chance in the city on Saturday when he combines with his father Norm on a recent stable purchase.

Takissacod is set to tackle the $75,000 TAB Highway Class Three Plate (1800m) at Rosehill.

The four-year-old mare had her first start for Loy and her new connections at Leeton last month when a close second behind Keep Me Posted over a mile.

Takissacod ran a luckless third in a Highway over 1500m at Rosehill last year and gets her chance again.

"She has settled into my stables really well, ran well for me at Leeton, so I thought I may as well have a throw at the stumps and head to Rosehill," Norm said.

Loy also has a ride later in the day for Richard Litt.

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ALBURY trainer Mitch Beer was quick to get off the mark in the new season.

Beer enjoyed success at Forbes on Monday when The Lioness ($10) won on debut for he and Jordan Mallyon.

The Lioness is a three-year-old filly by Exosphere.

It was Mallyon's last meeting before a short holiday, after being suspended for his whip use at Hawkesbury last week.

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GALLOPS

Sunday: Wagga (TAB)

TROTS

Friday: Wagga (TAB)

Tuesday: Young (TAB)

DOGS

Friday: Wagga (TAB)