WODONGA trainer Craig Widdison will make his return to racing next week.
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Widdison has been given approval to return to training and is only awaiting a stewards stable inspection and paperwork to be processed before he can get started.
Widdison is moving into Sylvia Thompson's old stables, where he will have 20 boxes.
Widdison had up to 35 horses in work before his two-year disqualification in April 2020 and was a regular in the Southern District, where he finished equal second in the 2017-18 trainer's premiership.
Widdison will begin moving a handful of horses into his stables next week.
"It will be a slow build," Widdison said.
"I'll do it myself to start with and then see what happens. (Getting back to 35 in work) is not the aim, but I'm not going to knock them back either."
Widdison admitted he did consider a move across the border to Wagga but with the proposed new $6.8 million stable complex still to get underway, it was never a serious option.
Widdison has spent the past two years concreting and is looking forward to getting back to his passion.
"Two years is a long time," he said.
"I've been able to spend plenty of time with my family, and being able to have weekends off and go on a holiday is nice but at the end of the day, horses are my passion and what I want to do."
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TWO of the Southern District's most promising sprinters will head to Randwick on Saturday.
Sparring and Hardware Lane are both acceptors in the $100,000 TAB Highway Class Three Handicap (1200m).
Sparring has drawn barrier 18, but will come in after scratchings and has James McDonald on board.
Ron Stubbs is leaning towards starting the three-year-old.
"At this stage we are, there are not a lot of options. We certainly won't be going if it is a heavy nine or 10," Stubbs said.
"It will be a good yardstick to see where we're at with him."
Hardware Lane is also entered at Albury on Thursday but will head to Randwick.
"We're 100 per cent going the Highway," Mitch Beer said.
"To be honest, I think we're sacrificing a win at Albury and I hate doing that but I love this horse, not much has gone right with him and he's 100 per cent now, gets a soft track and has Brenton Avdulla on. I think he'll run a big race."
Beer also has City Handicap winner Mnementh in the Tocumwal Gold Cup (1300m) on Saturday.
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TEMORA AFL star Luke Breust can now group one-winning owner to his list of accolades in sport.
Breust is part-owner of El Patroness, who took out the $1 million Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Breust, along with current and former Hawthorn teammates Jack Gunston, Liam Shiels, Jon Ceglar and Jarryd Roughead, part-own the Danny O'Brien-trained filly.
It was El Patroness' first group one victory at start number nine.
"We were absolutely stoked that she was running in a group one on the weekend then obviously to win it," Breust told RSN radio this week.
"To run in a Caulfield Cup or something like that would be simply amazing."
Breust has shares in about 'eight or nine' racehorses and his group has a strategy of purchasing fillies with staying pedigrees to target Oaks races across the country.
El Patroness is now likely to head to Queensland, or Adelaide, in a bid for more Oaks success.
Breust's only regret was not backing El Patroness after she paid $26 for victory.
"I've backed her every other start and didn't have a cent on her," he said.
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WAGGA jockey Nick Heywood has labelled Another One's Country Championships as the 'biggest win' of his career.
Heywood said Another One's win in the $500,000 feature at Randwick was a special moment for him.
"It meant a fair bit," Heywood said.
"Everyone who had done a bit of work with the horse was there. Darrel (Burnet) who broke the horse in, my sister Brit, my partner Hannah, it meant a fair bit to have them all there and they've all put a bit of effort in."
Heywood also saved praise for trainer Gary Colvin, who he has formed a close association with in recent years.
"I've been lucky enough to find a good horse and Gary has been unreal to me," he said.
"Gary has looked after me, especially when I was going through some hard times and struggling, Gary was there to help me out and got me going.
"It meant a bit to me and it meant a bit to him."
Heywood hopes to stick with Another One in next month's $200,000 Wagga Town Plate (1200m) but will depend on what weight the four-year-old gets.
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THE late Rick Freyer was farewelled at a private funeral last week.
Freyer passed away on April 1 after a battle with bowel cancer. He was aged 49.
His passing comes barely four months after he retired from training to focus on his health battles and signals the end of an era in the Southern District Racing Association.
The son of Richard Freyer had carried on a family dynasty that spanned more than 100 years, including his grandfather Jack and great grandfather Richard.
He'd been strapping horses since he was 11 and had obtained his trainer's licence when he was just 18.
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EXPERIENCED Southern District jockey Brendan Ward will make his return from injury at Albury on Thursday.
Ward has been sidelined since a fall at Sapphire Coast in January, where he fractured his knee.
Ward has four rides at Albury on the seven-race TAB card.
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CANBERRA Racing Club have decided to experiment with racing on Good Friday this year.
Canberra will hold an eight-race TAB card on the public holiday, in what will be one of just five thoroughbred race meetings held across the country.
Only one Southern District galloper will be in action and that is the Donna Scott-trained Gusonic, who will contest the $34,000 TAB Federal (1300m) with Nick Heywood in the saddle.
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WHAT'S ON
GALLOPS
Thursday: Albury (TAB)
Saturday: Tocumwal (non-TAB)
TROTS
Saturday: Wagga (TAB)
Monday: Coolamon (TAB)
DOGS
Sunday: Wagga (TAB)