COMEBACK jockey John Kissick will return to the city riding ranks for the first time in six years when he partners Bautista in Saturday's $500,000 Country Championships Final (1400m).
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Kissick made his comeback from a broken back last year, an injury that saw the three-time Southern District premiership-winner sidelined for three and a half years.
Kissick is no stranger to the metropolitan arena, having spent a year as apprentice to Chris Waller, but has not ridden in the city since 2015.
"It's really good. I didn't think I would get the ride but it's been good of the owners and Donna (Scott) to keep me on," Kissick said.
"It's going to be good to go there and ride against the big boys, and my good mate Nicko (Heywood) as well."
Bautista ran a close second behind Another One in the SDRA Country Championships Qualifier at Wagga last month.
He then came out and ran a slashing second behind Mount Horeb in the City Handicap at Albury.
Kissick believes he is making the trip for a live chance.
"As a jockey, you always look forward to getting on good horses and we're in with a good chance. He's drawn a nice gate now too, so it's all systems go," he said.
"He's a lightly-raced horse on the way up. His run in the City Handicap was huge really, he flew home and just missed on a day where you couldn't make ground up.
"The sting out of the ground should suit so I'm really looking forward to it."
Bautista has drawn barrier eight and is rated a $71 chance.
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WAGGA trainer Gary Colvin was forced to make a slight change of plans for his trip to Sydney.
Colvin had planned to take Another One up alongside Forever Newyork on Wednesday.
Colvin still made the trip on Wednesday but it was without Forever Newyork, who sustained a minor injury last week.
Colvin was looking forward to testing Forever Newyork at Canterbury, as he believes the race would have proven very suitable for his sprinter.
"It's frustrating, because it looked a really good race for him," Colvin said.
Forever Newyork is on a path towards the $200,000 Wagga Town Plate (1200m) and will now head that way via the Prelude on April 18.
Another One is in Sydney and will enjoy a few days at Greg Hickman's stables, acclimatising before the big day.
Wagga jockey Nick Heywood partnered Another One is his final piece of work on Tuesday and the stable was thrilled with what he did.
Another One has come up with barrier 12 for Saturday's final at Randwick and is a $13 chance with TAB.
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STACEY Lee's Dundeel yearling will do her racing with Symon Wilde at Warrnambool.
The filly was initially passed in on Tuesday at day one of the Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $210,000.
Wilde Racing and Dave Mee's Pinhook Bloodstock were then able to secure the filly from the Duryea camp for $220,000 shortly afterwards.
The filly is a half to Duryea's stable stars, News Girl and Front Page.
Meantime, Junee's Heath Newton was among a partnership to purchase an I Am Invincible filly, out of Hips Don't Lie for $1.95 million.
Newton purchased the filly in partnership with his co-owners in top three-year-old filly Odeum.
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ALBURY trainer Mitch Beer has welcomed a group three winner from New Zealand.
Beer last week welcomed Opalescence from New Zealand, where the filly had 13 starts for four wins and three placings.
The three-year-old filly won the group three Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) at Ellersie last December.
Beer plans to travel to Caulfield in a fortnight for a first-up assignment, and may consider a race like the MTC Guineas for the filly.
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KEMBLA Grange trainer Brett Lazzarini has been fined $1000 for his controversial overnight stay in Wagga back in January.
Stewards opened an inquiry on January 26 when they found Lazzarini's horses staying at a property on the outskirts of Wagga leading up to the race meeting at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on the same day.
The horses were not stabled in accordance with their stable returns and were scratched from the Wagga meeting.
Stewards concluded the inquiry at Wagga during the week, where Lazzarini pled guilty to failing to disclose the location for Fiorzana, Angry Liam, Plucksey Dubh and Conjon leading up to the meeting.
Stewards considered Lazzarini's cooperation and the fact it was his first offence under the rule before fining him $1000.
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FORMER Wagga boy Tye Angland is heading into a new venture.
Angland has decided to enter the jockey manager's ranks. He has been quick to secure former Southern District jockey Tim Clark and Josh Parr for his team.
Angland was left a quadriplegic after a Hong Kong race fall in 2018. He has done some work in the media since and will now add to that by managing a small team of jockeys.
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A COMPETITIVE group of mostly local horses will contest Gundagai-Adelong Race Club's feature on Sunday.
The $32,000 Gundagai Cup (1800m) will be the feature of the eight-race TAB card.
The winner of the Gundagai Cup gains exemption of the ballot for the $200,000 Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) on May 6.
Defending champion Monkery is among the nominations for Gundagai trainer David Blundell, and has not raced since August last year.
Nick Olive's mare Maid Of Ore heads the list of entries, which also includes the likes of Balansa, Tochi, Lady Mironton and Zakeriz.
The fields will be out on Thursday.
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HILLSTON Jockey Club and Cootamundra Picnic Racing Club will hold their respective Cup meetings on Saturday.
Hillston's $12,000 Benchmark 66 Cup (1700m) eventually drew seven entries, while 11 are nominated for the $5000 Picnic Cup over 1400m at Cootamundra.
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WHAT'S ON
GALLOPS
Saturday: Cootamundra, Hillston (non-TAB)
Sunday: Gundagai (TAB)
TROTS
Friday: Wagga (TAB)
Tuesday: Wagga (TAB)
DOGS
Friday: Wagga (TAB)
