ON THE PACE: Meetings number to increase at Wagga

The Wagga Harness Racing Club has successfully been able to increase the number of meetings from 35 to 52.

President Terry McMillan believes it will be a boost for the club and also participants.

"Talking to trainers or drivers they want to run on this race as they are running pretty quick times," McMillan said.

"They say it is safer on the big track as it is so much wider and every horse gets a chance no matter where they are drawn on this track.

"That's the feedback I get."

The majority of the meetings will be Friday afternoon or Tuesday nights.

"As they have given us 52 meetings for the year we've had to lose a few Friday and Saturday meetings we mainly have at this time of year," McMillan said.

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MAL Diebert was fortunate to walk away from a nasty incident at Leeton on Tuesday.

Diebert was driving Taken Our Dough when the mare choked down, veered sharply off the track and went over the back fence.

Both horse and drive returned to the stables bloodied but relatively unscathed.

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DAVID Kennedy and Jackson Painting made a winning return to Victoria on Monday.

The Euroley combination tasted more success with Silent Rapture at Cobram on the first day the border reopened.

The former New Zealand pacer made it four wins from as many starts in Australia with her 14.9-metre success.

They didn't have as much luck with Griffith Pacers Cup runner-up Harry Ovens earlier on the day, with the three-year-old finishing sixth.

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JACKS Hawk was the best performed of the Riverina connections in the Breeders Crown at Melton on Saturday.

Bred and owned by Jessica Francis, Jacks Hawk finished fourth behind stablemate Major Moth in the group one two-year-old colts and geldings final.

However after missing out on a place in the three-year-old fillies final, Maajida responded to win the Breeders Crown Silver at Bendigo on Tuesday night.

It was her 14^th win from 20 starts.

Coincidentally the first three over the line filled the placings in last year's group one final.

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KASHED Up set a new two-year-old record at Riverina Paceway on Friday when taking out the Breeders Challenge Regional final.

In another tight finish, the Gemma Hewitt-trained gelding clocked a mile rate of 1:52.2 on his way to defeating Stravinksy.

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YOUNG races on Friday with the $12,720 Cherry Pickers Cup the feature race.

Only two horses trained in the Riverina, Guy Retallick's Brobenah Boy and Col Thomas' Run Business Run are in the field.

The first of eight races is at 6.38pm.

Wagga races on Tuesday, their first of two meetings for the week.

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