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By Geoff Newling

Lismore Turf Club’s Christmas Cup meeting is still on course for Friday despite the coastal deluges.

While Kempsey was postponed on Monday, the eight-race LTC meeting is on track despite the rain and the track being rated a Heavy 10, advised LTC Operations Manager, Daniel Kedraika.

“The track is surprisingly good for the rain we’ve had,” Daniel Kedraika said.

“It’s holding up well but it does depend on what the weather does over the next few days. At this stage, we are right to go.”

The club received 123 nominations for the eight-race TAB meeting and has extended nominations on four of those eight races, including the Mid Richmond Plumbers & Suppliers Christmas Cup to 11am Tuesday.

The Christmas Cup received 14 nominations while a 1200m colts and geldings maiden plate had 11, a Class 2 handicap 1516m 12 and a benchmark 66 2100m had eight.

The LTC hopes that a quartet of races can entice a few more nominations especially the $22,000 Mid Richmond Plumbers & Suppliers Christmas Cup (1400m).

“They (Mid Richmond Plumbers & Suppliers) have been great supporters of the club,” Daniel Kedraika added. “They are part of our 100 Club and were sponsors on Lismore Cup day too.”

While the Christmas Cup nominations have been extended to 11am tomorrow (Tuesday) the current nominations include some handy and in-form horses. There are three last start winners nominated, Northern Knight, Spanish Point and Tawfiq Boy.

Northern Knight is trained by Coffs Harbour horseman Brett Bellamy and comes off a victory at his home track, winning a Class 3 1400m at Coffs on December 3. Spanish Point and Tawfik Boy are both trained by Newcastle’s Kris Lees.

Spanish Point won a Hawkesbury 1500m on November 19 while Tawfik Boy won his last start at Coffs, an open 1200m with a big weight (61kg). Kris Lees has also nominated Animate for Friday’s Christmas Cup while Lismore-based trainer Daniel Bowen has nominated Antilia.

Ballina-based Tracy Timbery has nominated Atlantic City with Grafton trainers John Shelton (Bugalugs) and Fleur Blanch (Dark Euro) also represented. Brett Bellamy’s fellow Coffs Harbour trainers Brett Dodson and Sally Taylor have also nominated Upstart and Divine Sanction respectively.

View the race details for Lismore here