WAGGA trainer Scott Spackman is keen to take the next step with promising two-year-old Rocket Tiger.
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Rocket Tiger won on debut at Canberra last Sunday as the despised outsider, taking out the $20,000 2YO Handicap (1000m).
Rocket Tiger ($16) was second past the post, but was awarded the race on protest after being severely interfered with by the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Wilsons Prom ($1.55) in the concluding stages.
The performance did not surprise Spackman, who has held an opinion of the two-year-old for some time.
"He's a nice horse," Spackman said.
"We'll look for another nice two-year-old race somewhere."
Spackman has picked out the $125,000 2YO Plate (1100m) at Randwick on Boxing Day as Rocket Tiger's next assignment.
After getting the job done on debut, Mathew Cahill is unavailable for the ride and Kathy O'Hara has been booked for the assignment.
Rocket Tiger was bred by Noel Penfold and is raced by he and his wife Maria and son Scott. The two-year-old is a half to Takookacod and Takissacod.
Spackman praised his team for their work, as well as apprentice Josh Richards for the job he'd done with Rocket Cod, and his wife Donna for picking him out the paddock.
"A lot of credit to my staff, it's a team effort," he said.
"We needed a change of luck."
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SOUTHERN District Racing Association (SDRA) will be well represented in the two Highway Handicaps at Randwick on Saturday.
Mitch Beer has Chap's Dream in the first division of the $75,000 TAB Class Two Highway Handicap (1300m), while Gary Colvin has Another One in the second.
Chap's Dream has drawn barrier 13 with Kayla Nisbet to ride.
Another One came up with the outside barrier of 17, but will come in significantly as they only start 12. Top apprentice Tom Sherry has the ride.
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WAGGA trainer Chris Heywood won two of the five heats of trials at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Wednesday.
The Wagga club put on non-raceday trials and they were well supported with five heats being held.
Heywood's unraced three-year-old Last War won the opening heat and clocked the fastest time for the day in the process, running 1:00.15 for the 1050m journey on the Riverside track.
He edged out Gary Colvin's unraced filly Carnival Miss.
Heywood also had Our Baez, an unraced filly, win a trial well.
Gottaluvtrucks won the last trial of the day in his first start since crossing from Norm Loy's stable to Donna Scott.
But it was the trial of the second placegetter, Packer's Bond, that would have attracted most interest. The four-year-old Dundeel gelding looks to have returned well after winning two of his first three starts in eye-catching fashion for Mitch Beer.
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KOORINGAL Stud's online auction experiment has almost come to a close.
Kooringal Stud this year decided to offer 21 yearlings for sale through Inglis Digital, rather than at respective sales across the country.
The auction, which has been running since last Friday, closes on Wednesday evening.
A Duporth colt, out of Snitzel mare Miss Cacciatore, has attracted most interest early on, closely followed by a Duporth colt out of Ingham Magic, and a Inpending colt out of Nardoo.
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KOSCIUSZKO runner up Redouble has left the Mitch Beer stable.
Redouble has returned to Bjorn Baker and trialled for the stable at Randwick.
The seven-year-old had two starts for Beer, running second in the Kosciuszko and then finishing down the track in The Hunter at Newcastle.
Racing NSW are expected to change the eligibility criteria for next year's Country Championships.
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WAGGA apprentice Josh Richards was made to wait a little longer for his first trip to Flemington last weekend.
Richards was removed as the rider of Salty Kisses by Racing Victoria after stewards ruled that he did not meet the criteria for an apprentice to ride at Flemington.
While Richards has already ridden more than the required 80 winners, he must first ride at another Victorian metropolitan track before he can apply for a Flemington ride.
Richards' ride, a $151 chance, finished down the track in 12th position.
The Phil Sweeney-trained Lady Brook finished 13th in the same race.
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FORMER Wagga apprentice Stacey Metcalfe has made the move to Adelaide.
After a three-month stint with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, Metcalfe has transferred to Morphettville trainer John Hyam.
Metcalfe has made the move looking for more opportunities, having taken her career-wins tally to 89 since the move to Wyong and then Randwick.
Metcalfe thoroughly enjoyed her time in Sydney, especially learning from Waterhouse.
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WHILE Blaike McDougall continues his red hot form, one other former SDRA-premiership winner is beginning to get back near his best.
John Kissick has hit his best form since making his riding comeback in May.
Kissick has ridden four winners from his last 15 rides, including a winning double at Albury last Saturday.
Kissick was sidelined for four years after a steer-riding accident and then took another four months off in July to ensure he was 100 per cent. It appears to have worked.
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SOUTHERN District Horse of the Year, Spunlago, will head to Goulburn on Friday.
Albury trainer Ron Stubbs has entrered Spunlago in the $27,000 Fred Cooper Cup (1600m).
Wagga apprentice jockey Hannah Williams has been booked for the ride and her four kilogram claim will help Spunlago get in with 61kg.
Tim Donnelly (Would Be King) and Russell Hogan (Astir) also have runners earlier in the Goulburn program.
Heni Ede will ride Would Be King in a heat of the Rising Star series for apprentice jockeys.
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A NUMBER of AFL stars were among the 1600-strong crowd at Albury last Saturday.
Temora's two-time All Australian Luke Breust held his buck's party last weekend, that featured a trip to the Albury races.
Punters at Albury were not mistaken if they thought they saw the likes of Bruest, Jack Gunston, James Frawley, Jonathon Ceglar, Taylor Duryea, Matt Suckling and Isaac Smith getting around.
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WHAT'S ON
GALLOPS
Thursday: Corowa (TAB)
TROTS
Friday: Wagga (TAB)
Tuesday: Junee (TAB)
DOGS
Friday: Wagga (TAB)