NARRANDERA Race Club is celebrating a big win after being awarded showcase status for its Cup meeting.
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The club has already begun preparations for a huge race day after Racing NSW gave their feature meeting, set for July 17 next year, showcase status.
It means Narrandera will host its richest ever race day with $225,000 in prizemoney up for grabs.
The Narrandera Cup (1600m) will be worth $40,000, with the feature sprint, the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1000m), to carry $35,000. The club will then offer a further five races worth $30,000.
Narrandera Race Club racing manager Michael Bailey said it was a big win for the club after some tough years.
"We're very, very pleased. Absolutely stoked," Bailey said.
"It's been a pretty tough few years but we've managed to race all our meetings, often crowdless at times, but we kept it going.
"It's a really big feather in our cap and we're already planning for it to be as big a bang as we can make it.
"It's great for racing out west too, because a lot of clubs like Jerilderie, Carrathool, Hay, Hillston, Ardlethan, they haven't been able to race for a few years. Hopefully this is the start of it."
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WAGGA trainer Scott Spackman is going to have a crack at metropolitan grade with lightly-raced filly Like A Tiger Cod.
Spackman will take Like A Tiger Cod to Canterbury on Friday night, where she is drawn barrier four in the $50,000 3YO Fillies Maiden Handicap (1250m).
Like A Tiger Cod finished seventh on debut at Wagga last week but Spackman is sure his filly is better than that.
"I thought she was a little bit disappointing first-up," Spackman said.
"I was honestly disappointed with her. I thought she was better than that and better than them.
"I probably should have given her a jump out but I thought she would be too good for them and it backfired."
Mikayla Weir will take the ride, where Like A Tiger Cod will be up against fillies from the Chris Waller, James Cummings, Gai Waterhouse and John O'Shea stables.
Spackman did nominate the filly for Corowa and Moonee Valley also but is keen to see how Like A Tiger Cod fares.
"It's not going to be easy, it's a strong little race," he said.
"But I'm keen to start her on a better track, she's a filly who will appreciate a bit of sting out of the ground.
"I've always had an opinion of the filly but whether she steps up to the mark, time will tell."
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LEADING Southern District trainer Mitch Beer is plotting a Tasmanian raid with one of his recent stable additions.
Medal left for Tasmania on Wednesday, where he will be aimed at a number of staying features.
Medal, who is owned by Waikato Stud, won a maiden at Wangaratta earlier this month at his second start for Beer, then ran third at Moonee Valley last Friday night.
His targets will be the $100,000 Tasmanian Guineas (1600m) on January 7 and the $150,000 Tasmanian Derby (2200m) on February 11.
"I just thought why not," Beer said.
"Ollie (Damien Oliver) was pretty positive about going. It wasn't the right race for him the other night but I needed to give him another one to prove himself in better grade and that he was up to going.
"I thought he ran really well."
Beer is also planning on start in-form three-year-old Scarlet Prince at Caulfield on Boxing Day. He is then likely to form part of the stable's assault on next year's SDRA Country Championships Qualifier at Wagga.
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ALBURY trainer Donna Scott will chase a city win with Takissacod on Saturday.
Takissacod has drawn the inside gate for Saturday's $130,000 Benchmark 78 Fillies & Mares Handicap (1400m) at Randwick.
Takissacod won two of her first three starts this preparation for Scott, before struggling in the heavy going when ninth in the Snake Gully Cup last month.
Rachel King will take the ride.
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WAGGA jockey Nick Heywood escaped any serious damage from a race fall at Albury last Saturday.
Heywood was dislodged from Barramundi Lad in the opening event, the DLG Albury Class One Handicap (1500m).
In a freakish coincidence, Heywood fell from the same horse at the same track 13 months ago.
It was Barramundi Lad that Heywood fell off at Albury last November when he suffered a broken collarbone.
This time, Heywood suffered a laceration to the chin that required stitches.
Heywood was already set to miss this week due to a seven-meeting suspension incurred at Wangaratta for whip use.
He will be back in the saddle at Moruya on Sunday, where he will ride the Jamie Stewart-trained Akeed in the $29,000 Narooma Cup (1300m).
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INJURY and suspension has brought an amazing year to an end for jockey Blaike McDougall.
McDougall was trodden on at Warrnambool last Thursday. X-rays cleared him of any serious injury but that, along with a couple of suspensions, meant an early end to the year for the Southern District premiership-winning hoop.
McDougall made the move to Melbourne in August and it proved a success. He enjoyed a couple of group wins over the spring carnival and has registered 23 victories for the season so far.
The 27-year-old has used the time off to take a well-earned break with family and will resume riding in Victoria in the new year.
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FORMER Southern District campaigner Gentleman Max is nearing a comeback from injury.
The popular mudlark had three starts for his new trainer Keith Dryden last year before he succumbed to what was feared could be a career-ending injury.
But the nine-year-old is nearing a comeback and is among the nominations for Sunday's Narooma Cup (1300m) at Moruya.
Gentleman Max is still owned by Leona Watson and has amassed $383,000 in career earnings with 17 wins and 37 minor placings from 126 starts.
His last start was a triumph in last year's Cootamundra Cup.
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THE locally owned Imitation Game has been retired.
Canberra trainer Doug Gorrel and connections made the decision after a ligament problem was detected.
The eight-year-old amassed $156,000 in career earnings with eight wins ands 21 minor placings from 71 starts.
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WHAT'S ON
GALLOPS
Thursday: Corowa (TAB)
TROTS
Friday: Wagga (TAB)
Tuesday: Wagga (TAB)
DOGS
Friday: Wagga (TAB)