The $29,000 'Road To The Jericho' Riverina Cup (3800m) has been withdrawn from Sunday's card due to a lack of acceptances.

There were eight nominations for the event, the longest flat race in NSW, but only four acceptances when the fields were put together on Thursday morning.

MTC chief executive Steve Keene said the COVID-19 restrictions around crossing borders did not help the race.

"It's disappointing. Once again, we got hurt by COVID, the border restrictions and difficulties with horses travelling over," Keene said.

The race traditionally has a strong Victorian flavour and again this five of the eight nominations were from across the border, despite COVID restrictions.

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The Riverina Cup was one of nine 'guaranteed start' races in Australia for the $304,000 Jericho Cup (4600m), where the first Australasian bred horse across the line automatically gained a start in the Warrnambool feature.

Horses also gain qualification points for competing but the Wagga qualifier will now be scrapped from this year's Jericho programme.

It means Sunday's race meeting at Wagga will now be just a six-race TAB card.

The $24,000 Belmont Pest Management Open Handicap (1400m) and the Castle Lane Catering Wagga Whiz (1000m) have attracted small fields of nine, but they don't lack quality.

The Wagga Whiz will see the return of Lady Brook and Halo Warrior.

Lady Brook, trained by Phil Sweeney, ran fourth as a beaten favourite in the SDRA Country Championships Qualifier at her last start.

Perhaps most interest will be in the second barrier trial, after the last race.

SDRA Country Championships Qualifier winner Another One, who went on to run second in the final, will have his first public appearance this preparation.

Another One is being aimed at the Kosciuszko and will go up against well-performed gallopers Jawwaal, Blitzar and Mnementh in the trial.

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