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By Graeme White

Wagga trainer Gary Colvin believes the lack of recent racing is the major query with Mahsinger ($6.50 on TAB) heading into the first meeting of the new racing season at Gundagai on Monday.

Mahsinger hasn’t raced for five weeks since finishing second at Echuca over 2100 metres on June 25.

Victorian apprentice jockey Hannah Le Balance has retained the ride and will reduce Mahsinger’s weight to 57 kilograms.

Mahsinger is a previous winner over 1800 metres at Gundagai and is searching for her first victory since Queanbeyan last October.

The five-year-old has finished second three times this preparation and is well placed on Monday on the soft seven-rated surface.

“She had a cold after her last start and missed a bit of racing so hopefully she is right to go again,” Colvin said. “She is very honest and deserves to win another race and I like the fact she has won at the course before.”

Le Blanc only has the one ride at Gundagai and will also ride at Moruya for the first time on Tuesday with three rides for her Wangaratta-based master Dan McCarthy. Her two-kilogram allowance has been used to advantage with recent wins aboard McCarthy stable favourite Ashlor at Echuca, Prince Of Helena at Albury and Yeldarb at Wangaratta.

Gundagai trainer David Blundell could break through on the traditional horse’s birthday with Taliano ($3.90 favourite) in the same race. Taliano has won twice and finished second at his past two starts at Gundagai and Narrandera.

Okra ($5.50) was a strong third at his latest start at Albury with the runner-up Super View winning its next start at Canberra.

Meanwhile, top jockey Jean Van Overmeire will keep up the hectic pace in search of winners after another successful season. Van Overmeire rode Cross Talk to victory at Rosehill on Saturday, backed up at Muswellbrook on Sunday, has four rides at Gundagai then will line up against Moruya on Tuesday.

“My momentum is up so you have to keep going,” he said. “I have ridden at Gundagai before, but haven’t ridden a winner there.”

Van Overmeire’s rides are Avvertimento ($2.10 fav) in the first event and She’s A Hot Cod ($23).

Mathrin ($2.15 fav) is close to breaking through for her first win this campaign after finishing third in a Randwick Highway and second at her latest start at Narrandera.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Gundagai here