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By Geoff Newling

Armidale's loss could be Tamworth Jockey Club’s 'Hygain'. Rain washed out Armidale Jockey Club’s second meeting in two weeks today but forecasts are bright for Tamworth’s Hygain Romantic Dream Two-Year-Old meeting on Sunday.

Nominations for Sunday’s meeting close at 11am on Tuesday and that seven-race TAB meeting, highlighted by the annual Hygain Romantic Dream 2YO Plate (1000m), could be swelled by horses missing runs at Armidale.

Four of the eight races at Sunday’s Coonamble Cup meeting, including the 1400m Coonamble Cup, were also washed out on the weekend adding to a bank-up in horses.

“That’s what we are hoping,” said Tamworth Jockey Club's general manager, Kay Jeffrey. “With Coonamble having to pull up stumps after four races on Sunday we’re hoping they and Armidale help with our nominations.

“Our noms close at 11am and acceptances are Thursday for our Hygain raceday. They are sponsoring all seven races and will have representatives out here talking to owners and trainers about their feed options." She said the forecast is for clearing weather after Monday and “hopes it stays that way”.

Armidale's secretary manager, Jim Dedes, was philosophical about the Sunday night downpour that hit his track.

“We had 44mm last night,” he said Monday morning. “We’d already 5mm last Friday and a bit during the week as well and it had been overcast up here all week so it didn’t take much and they are predicting more storms this afternoon.”

He said it was disappointing to lose two meetings to rain in a fortnight after such a dry period but hopes the club might be able to race today’s abandoned meeting at some stage later in the year.

“It’s pretty busy at the moment,” he said. “Coffs race Friday and Tamworth race Sunday,” he said. “We might put in to race later on around Christmas or in January when there is a bit of a break.”

Tamworth Jockey Club stages a seven-race TAB meeting, sponsored by Hygain, on Sunday with the $22,000 Hygain Romantic Dream 2YO Plate (1000m) the highlight. It is, traditionally, the first juvenile race of the new season in the Hunter and North West Racing Association.

View the race program for Tamworth here