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By Mark Brassel

The looming long weekend features eight NSW country race meetings with Moruya leading the charge on Friday with its annual Legend of the South program.

“It’s the perfect way to start a long weekend on the picturesque south coast,” declared Ken Brown, Executive Officer for Moruya Jockey Club.

“We’ll have great racing, on-course entertainment with a DJ, a free jumping castle and face painting for the kids along with a Fashions on the Field.

Kelvedon Road (Jordan Beer-Mallyon) wins last year's AMH Mustang Showcase at Moruya. Image by Bradley Photographers

“It kicks off on Thursday evening with a Calcutta at the Adelaide Hotel in Moruya from 7pm.”

The main races are the $50,000 SCB Distributors Legend of the South (1300m), $30,000 Cameron’s Hardware Batemans Bay Cup (1650m) and the $30,000 AMH Mustang Showcase Open (1010m).

Two days later and 320km to the northwest will be Cootamundra Cup Day on Sunday with the feature the $32,000 Cootamundra Cup over 1600m.

“Racegoers can make a weekend of it with the ‘Coota’ races on Sunday then the NRL grand final on Sunday night,” said Cootamundra Turf Club’s President, Jeff Bristow.

“We have a Fashions on the Field with an eight-race card, a full bar, a TAB and bookmakers on course with tickets available at the gate for $20.”

Jeff is a lucky and proud part-owner of recent Doomben Cup winner Bois D’argent.

Meanwhile, Wagga will race for the second time in six days on Saturday, following a seven-race card hosted by Murrumbidgee Turf Club scheduled for tomorrow.

On Saturday it’s Wagga Picnic Cup Day with a TAB meeting on the inner Riverside Track.

“Wagga picnics has a longstanding partnership with Country Hope, raising funds for kids with cancer,” explained Paige Deveraux, President of the picnics club.

“Country Hope is amazing as they recognise that childhood cancer and life-threatening illness place incredible stress on the family.

“For this reason, Country Hope’s programs and services address the needs of the entire family.

“The issues of separation, isolation, travel, untold expenses, the need for families to be together, sibling support, to have holidays and fun are the basis of the programs developed by Country Hope.”

Wagga picnics will have a Fashions on the Field competition, live entertainment by Mighty Yak, activities for the kids and hospitality packages are available.

The six-race card features the Wagga Picnic Cup [1800m] which is a heat of the Wagga Stayers Series.

Then on Monday its Coolmore Denman Cup Day at Muswellbrook with free entry for kids, free face painting, jumping castle and obstacle challenge with the first 70 kids through the gate receiving a ‘fun gift’.

Live music will be by Happy Dayz with return buses from Denman for the day.

The seven-race TAB program features the $40,000 Coolmore Denman Cup (1280m) and the $27,000 TAB Denman Dash (900m).

There was a huge upset in last year’s Denman Dash when Iron Hat defeated $1.16 favourite Once Again My Girl in the last bound.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Wagga, Tamworth
Tuesday: Grafton
Friday: Moruya, Dubbo, Lockhart picnics (non-TAB)
Saturday: Wagga-Riverside, Mudgee (non-TAB), Armidale (non-TAB), Tabulam (non-TAB)
Sunday: Cootamundra, Ballina, Mungery picnics (non-TAB)