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By Mark Brassel

The Riverina city of Wagga will come alive this weekend when celebrations commence for 150 years of the Wagga Gold Cup.

This Saturday night Murrumbidgee Turf Club hosts the ‘150 Years of Cup Cocktail Evening’ with Cup history on display including photos, artefacts and fashion outfits.

The racing action is starting to heat up at Wagga

“It will be a special night and one to remember with fabulous music, food and drinks as we honour the region’s fantastic racing history with tickets on sale up until 5pm on Tuesday [18th April],” said MTC’s CEO, Jason Ferrario.

“Our Club’s board of directors, management and staff greatly look forward to celebrating 150 years of the Wagga Gold Cup at this cocktail evening with some exciting memorabilia on display and everyone sharing some great stories of Cups gone by.

“The tickets are excellent value at $75 for MTC members and $95 for non-members.”

The following afternoon is Wagga’s Kooringal Stud Prelude Day, just 12 days out from the start of the much-anticipated Raine & Horne Wagga Gold Cup Carnival.

Kooringal Stud Prelude Day is a Racing NSW Country Showcase eight-race TAB meeting that offers $270,000 in prizemoney.

Feature events are the $45,000 Finance Tycoon Murrumbidgee Cup (1800m), $40,000 Kooringal Stud Wagga Town Plate Prelude (1200m), $30,000 Sandbar Queen of the South Prelude (1300m) and the $35,000 Prized Icon Guineas Prelude (1400m).

Meanwhile, the $200,000 Tamworth City Toyota Tamworth Cup (1400m) will be run on Friday with the race carrying eligibility for the $2m Big Dance at Royal Randwick in November.

Scone trainer Paul Messara has entered Akasawa (winner of six races from just 10 starts) in the Cup with Newcastle’s Kris Lees nominating a team of five – Acquitted, Kinloch, Rogue Bear, Sailor and Loch Eagle.

Fellow Novocastrian Sam Kavanagh has entered Aramayo and Kayobi.

Tamworth’s support races are the $50,000 Mornington Showcase Handicap (2100m), the $50,000 Jardel Cup (1200m) and the $50,000 John Clift Memorial (1000m).

There are plenty of activities and entertainment planned for Tamworth with Aussie NightMarkets providing three food trucks offering a selection of gourmet food, desserts and retail.

And with school holidays continuing, kids can hit the jumping castle, while Gomeroi fashion designer, Buluuy Mirrii will be holding a fashion show along with a Fashions on the Field with four categories.

Early bird tickets online are just $10 via www.eventbrite.com.au but are $20 if purchased at the gate.

And the Tamworth Cup Calcutta will be roaring at the Courthouse Hotel from 6pm on Thursday with Sky Racing’s Dave Stanley and Luke Marlow sharing the MC duties.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Scone
Tuesday: Nowra, Grafton
Thursday: Narromine
Friday: Tamworth
Saturday: Grafton, Leeton (non-TAB), Merriwa (non-TAB), Cootamundra picnics (non-TAB)
Sunday: Wagga, Port Macquarie