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By Mark Brassel

It may not be Everest, but Murrumbidgee Turf Club will be scaling the heights at this Friday’s Wagga race meeting.

The Club’s feature event is the $30,000 Mountaineer Cup run over the gruelling 3200m journey and is a heat of their popular Wagga Stayer Series.

Wagga - will be hosting a big Tradies Day this Friday

“The race honours Mountaineer who won the inaugural Wagga Gold Cup 150 years ago, for which the MTC held celebrations during this year’s Gold Cup Carnival,” explained MTC’s CEO, Jason Ferrario.

“And being a heat of the Wagga Stayers Series, the winner gains automatic entry to the Jericho Cup over 4600m at Warrnambool in early December.

“Friday is also our annual Tradies Day and is a twilight meeting so we’re expecting a decent turnout of tradies ducking out to the course after finishing work.

“On the day we will also honour the late Stan Sadleir with the [$32,000] Daily Advertiser Stan Sadleir Stakes, an open handicap over 1400m.

“Stan was an MTC committeeman for 24 years and Treasurer of the Southern District Racing Association for 35 years.

“He was awarded Life Membership of both the MTC and SDRA and received an Order of Australia Medal in 1997 for his services to racing, war veterans, sport, and the community.

“Stan was a very accomplished accountant for more than half a century and a handy cricketer, having played against Don Bradman on three occasions in the early 1930s.”

The other feature event on the day is the $27,000 MTC Mad Scramble (1000m).

On Thursday Sapphire Coast Turf Club will kick off the first of two big race meetings following a winter break.

“Bermagui Cup Day on Thursday is our first meeting since July,” said SCTC’s secretary/manager Rob Tweedie.

“The following Tuesday is Big Dance-Melbourne Cup Day with a huge day planned and gates opening at 11am with bookmakers, TAB and bar facilities operating.

“We’ll also have free buses running to and from the racecourse on both days, visit sapphirecoastturfclub.com.au for bus timetables.”

Next Sunday is Goulburn Cup Day and is the first chance statewide for trainers to qualify their horses for the 2024 edition of the $3 million Big Dance.

This year’s Campbell’s Petroleum Goulburn Cup will be run two days before the 2023 Big Dance at Royal Randwick.

“Goulburn Cup Day is a Country Showcase meeting offering close to a massive $500,000 in prizemoney,” said Robyn Fife, Goulburn Race Club’s CEO.

Muswellbrook Race Club also race on Sunday with the seven-event card highlighted by the $30,000 Bhima Thoroughbred Country Boosted Handicap (1280m).

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Wellington, Beaumont Track-Newcastle (Wine Country Race Club)
Tuesday: Grafton
Thursday: Sapphire Coast
Friday: Wagga, Moree
Saturday: Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Tumut (non-TAB), Berrigan (non-TAB)
Sunday: Goulburn, Muswellbrook