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By Mark Brassel

Valentine’s Day may have been six months ago but trainer Kris Lees is all about finding ‘partners’ for three of his mares at Muswellbrook today.

The Lees stable will be running Lady Soames ($4.80 on TAB), Extessive ($8.50) and Oakfield Mamselle ($4.20) in the TAB Queen of the Valley Matchmakers (1280m).

The owners of the first three placegetters in the $27,000 event will receive stallion nominations upon retirement.

Lady Soames (Benjamin Osmond) arrives in time at Tamworth. Image by Bradley Photographers

“Various studs are supporting the race meeting including Vinery, Kingstar Farm and Widden Stud,” said Christine Williams, Muswellbrook Race Club’s General Manager.

“Vinery is offering a stallion nomination to Headwater valued at $9900, Widden has tabled a stallion nomination to Sweet Ride [$11,000] and Kingstar Farm is offering a choice from four of their stallions.

“They are Time to Reign [$9900], Unite and Conquer [$6600], Bull Point [$3300] or Lord of the Sky [$3300].”

Lady Soames, to be ridden by apprentice Benjamin Osmond, scored at Tamworth two starts back and will be strongly fancied.

Extessive (Andrew Gibbons) will be having her first start since April having been runner-up at Coffs Harbour in March, while Oakfield Mamselle (Mitchell Bell) has only raced three times for Lees and is very promising.

The mare won twice at Taree in November and January, and sandwiched between those victories was a photo finish second at Kempsey.

Meanwhile, Dubbo Turf Club has launched the Dubbo City & Gilgandra Toyota Dubbo Gold Cup for 2024 with important prizemoney increases to two key feature races.

The Dubbo Cup will be run for $150,000 (an increase of $50,000) while the XXXX Gold Vincent Gordon Flying Handicap will offer a prize purse of $75,000 (up $25,000).

“The Dubbo Gold Cup is an event which has grown significantly over the last decade,” said DTC’s General Manager, Sam Fitzgerald.

“In the last decade the race has gone from $45,000 to $150,000 and with that it has seen stronger fields and broader engagement with the community.

“Discounting the two years during COVID lockdowns, we have seen a pleasing increase in attendance and sponsorship culminating in the biggest crowd for a Cup Day in Dubbo for at least the last two decades in 2023.

“Our partnership with Dubbo City & Gilgandra Toyota – which enters its eighth year – came at important time for the Club.

“Through their support it has provided integrity and strong brand association to improve the Dubbo Gold Cup event year to year.”

Long standing sponsors XXXX Gold will be the naming rights sponsor for the Vincent Gordon Flying Handicap, the feature sprint race on Dubbo Gold Cup Day.

“XXXX Gold, or parent companies Lion and Tooheys, have been sponsors of our Club for almost 50 years and we are delighted to have them on board to sponsor this important feature race.”

The Club will offer $445,000 in prizemoney across the eight-race program which also includes the Arrowfield Country Magic Plate ($50,000) and Dubbo City & Gilgandra Toyota Super Maiden ($50,000).

Group 1-winning trainer Bjorn Baker has been officially announced as the Club’s Dubbo Gold Cup Ambassador for 2024 at the recent Dubbo Gold Cup launch event.

“We are thrilled to have Bjorn involved this year – he is one of the industry’s great characters and elite trainers.”

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Muswellbrook, Nowra
Tuesday: Ballina
Thursday: Wellington
Friday: Taree, Gunnedah
Saturday: Narrandera, Parkes (non-TAB), Cobar (non-TAB)
Sunday: Moruya