Cahill had the pick of a number of rides for the Southern District feature, but most notably Participator and Tap N Run, and has settled on the Tim Donnelly three-year-old.

Cahill piloted Participator to his first two wins before Hugh Bowman took over on Saturday for his first-up fourth placing in the Highway at Randwick.

The experienced country hoop said it wasn't an easy decision but one that had to be made.

"I didn't think there was much between (Participator and Tap N Run) but you've got to make a decision to be fair to everyone and let them organise someone else," Cahill said.

"Just being a young horse, I thought he might have scope for more improvement. He's on the way up and I've got to back Tim a bit, he's always had a big rap on him and he's a pretty experienced trainer. You're guided by trainers a bit.

"The other horse will be very competitive as well. I don't think there's much between them but I'm thinking the young horse may improve. Probably a little bit disappointing his first-up run the other day in the Highway, I would have liked to seen him hit the line a bit better but he was first-up and you hope they improve."

Albury trainer Ron Stubbs has been quick to move and has booked Jack Martin to ride Tap N Run. Donna Scott has secured Brodie Loy and Winona Costin for her two runners, Halo Warrior and Oamanikka.

...

ELEVEN-time SDRA premiership-winning trainer Brett Cavanough moved to Scone almost five years ago but obviously still keeps a close eye on the region.

Cavanough was quick to knock the efforts of Participator, when running fourth in the Highway at Randwick last Saturday.

"SDRA need to regroup if that's there number one seed #country championships," Cavanough tweeted shortly after the race.

A look at TAB's market for the Country Championships has last year's second placegetter in the final, the Gary Colvin-trained Another One on the second line of betting at $11. Participator is alongside a number of other SDRA horses at $26 in the market.

Cavanough has since deleted the tweet.

...

MURRUMBIDGEE Turf Club (MTC) hope the $200,000 listed Wagga Gold Cup can feature as part of the new $2 million The Big Dance announced by Racing NSW on Wednesday.

There was no shortage of good news for racing participants in the latest set of announcements by Racing NSW.

Prizemoney for country TAB races will increase to $25,000 from July 1, while picnic meetings also go up to $5000 per race.

The feature of the announcements was the launch of The Big Dance, a $2 million race over 1600m set for Randwick on Melbourne Cup day.

Eligibility for The Big Dance will be restricted to horses contesting one of 25 selected NSW country cups, that are yet to be announced, throughout the year.

Races such as the Wagga Gold Cup, Albury Gold Cup and even the Snake Gully Cup at Gundagai, are expected to be among the list of country cups.

MTC chief executive Jason Ferrario said the club would love to have Wagga as part of the series.

"The Murrumbidgee Turf Club is excited to hear the news released by Racing NSW about the new $2 million race, The Big Dance, at Randwick on the first Tuesday in November where the selection criteria will be from the selected 25 NSW country cups," Ferrario said.

"The Murrumbidgee Turf Club acknowledges if they were one of the clubs chosen as a qualifying venue, they would be excited to work closely with Racing NSW and most importantly, they understand what this does for country racing, no matter which towns or clubs were chosen as qualifying venue.

"That being, the injection into the economy through tourism, accommodation and hospitality is just what country areas need to get people back into the country following the hardships of COVID-19."

...

ALBURY trainer Donna Scott has picked out a group three race in Tasmania as the next target for in-form mare Takissacod.

Scott enhanced her reputation as one of the region's top trainers with another metropolitan victory on Saturday at Caulfield, as Takissacod saluted at 40-1 in the $130,000 Benchmark 78 Fillies & Mares Handicap (1400m).

It was Takissacod's seventh career victory and her third from just seven starts since joining the Scott stable.

A half sister to Rocket Tiger, Takissacod will now be aimed at some black type in the $150,000 Vamos Stakes (1400m) at Launceston on February 23.

"Blaike (McDougall) normally rides in Tassie over the carnival and we've got family there...so it looks like she's probably going to head on a boat and go over to Tassie," Scott said.

"That's why I've been going back so much to town, she is a fairly well bred mare and the guys said to me if they could get a city win, they were just hoping for a midweek, it would help with her breeding page. Now that she's done this and that race just happens to coincide with what's going on and things like that, even if she could place in it, it gives her a bit of black type."

Scott has nothing but praise for the tough mare.

"She's just the best horse," she said.

"I just had the vet here then and she half thrives on it all. Horses usually when they have a trip like that and she had a bit of a gut buster, they tuck up and things like that but she seems be thriving on it at the minute."

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IT WAS a big couple of days for Southern District trainers and breeders at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale this week.

Kooringal Stud went to the sale with seven horses and sold six.

The Prized Icon colt out of Miss Cacciatore was their top lot, selling for $85,000. Five of the six Prized Icons they took to the sale sold.

Wagga trainer Gary Colvin was busy, picking up a Pride Of Dubai filly, out of Lucky Helmet, for $100,000. Colvin also grabbed a Super One filly, out of Princess Emmy, for $30,000.

Mitch Beer purchased a Flying Artie colt, out of Pillow Talk, for $40,000 and a Sacred Falls colt, out of Believe You Me, for $50,000.

Albury trainer Kym Davison also got in on the action, buying a Hellbelt colt, out of Balady, for $50,000.

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WAGGA trainer George Dimitropoulos has Mouse Almighty back at her best.

The tough mare produced one of the best performances of her career to score at Canberra last Friday.

With Wagga apprentice Molly Bourke in the saddle, Mouse Almighty ($13) took out the Benchmark 65 Handicap (1000m) in a slick time of 56.90 seconds on the soft five track.

It took the five-year-old mare's record to five wins from 28 starts.

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LEETON Jockey Club have picked up a rare summer meeting.

A non-TAB meeting at Leeton on Saturday February 26 has been added to the Racing NSW calendar.

It has been added due to the abandonment of the annual Carrathool race meeting.

Carrathool Jockey Club made the decision to cancel this year's edition due to not having the resources to run the meeting in a COVID-safe manner. It was the second consecutive year the meet was cancelled.

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GALLOPS

Thursday: Wagga (TAB)

Saturday: Tumut (non-TAB)

TROTS

Friday: Albury (TAB)

Tuesday: Young (TAB)

DOGS

Friday: Wagga (TAB)

Saturday: Temora (TAB)