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By Mark Brassel

You know it’s Country Championships time when the preview races start popping up around the countryside and Thursday’s Albury program will lead this week's charge.

Albury Racing Club will stage the $27,000 Border Bandag (Tyre Service) Southern Districts Country Championships Preview (1175m) on a seven-race TAB program.

Sunrise Ruby (Glen Boss) powers home to score at Royal Randwick. Image by Bradley Photographers

Local trainer Mitchell Beer has three well-performed runners in the race – Sunrise Ruby, Hardware Lane and Well in Sight.

Sunrise Ruby is a Randwick winner, Hardware Lane is city-placed and Well in Sight is a track specialist, having won all four of his races around Albury.

Sunrise Ruby appears one of the better chances with the mare not being seen since finishing fourth to Miss Madison at Warwick Farm on the October long weekend.

Another Albury trainer Ron Stubbs will be represented by Baledon – a Rosehill Gardens TAB Highway winner in August – and Race Against Time who is a Morphettville winner having only raced twice for the Stubbs stable.

Also entered for the Preview is last start Wagga winner Dantain’s Magic who will be resuming from a 10-week let-up for trainer Doug Gorrel.

Albury will host the $150,000 Newhaven Park Southern Districts Association Country Championships qualifier (1400m) on Saturday 25 February.

The day is a Racing NSW Country Showcase race meeting providing a total of $370,000 in prizemoney.

Port Macquarie will follow Albury next Sunday with their $27,000 Mid North Coast Country Championships Preview (1200m).

And the following day is Bathurst’s turn in the spotlight with the $27,000 Central Districts Country Championships Preview (1200m).

Mudgee trainer Mack Griffith has already nominated four-time race winner Amicus Curiae for the Bathurst preview.

The big one – the Newhaven Park Country Championships Final (1400m) – will be run at Royal Randwick on Saturday 1 April.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Tuesday: Grafton
Thursday: Albury
Friday: Walcha
Saturday: Gilgandra, Walcha (non-TAB), Braidwood (non-TAB)
Sunday: Goulburn, Port Macquarie