THE racing community has rallied to support Wauchope Jockey Club in its biggest race meeting of the year--featuring the $32,000 Wauchope RSL Club Wauchope Cup--transferred from Port Macquarie to Warwick Park Racecourse, Kempsey, on Sunday.
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Trainers from Sydney, possibly Canberra, to Grafton are nominating gallopers for the eight-race card where the cup distance has been reduced from 1500m to 1450m, same as the coveted Kempsey Cup.
John Steinmetz from Warwick Farm, Terry Evans from Tuncurry and Grafton's Dwayne Schmidt, fresh from a winning treble at Grafton on Saturday, are among trainers intending to be trackside.
Glen Milligan, son of Taree trainer Bob Milligan, said the runner-up in the recent Wingham Cup at Taree, Texas Storm, was being nominated, and Port's Tas Morton is backing up from the same race with Acoustix.
Other gallopers from the Wingham Cup over 1600m are also expected to nominate.
Wauchope Jockey Club president, Les Latimore, said his members appreciated the support as the transfer will "cost us financially."
Planned functions for members and racegoers have required alterations and due to the distance now required many Wauchope folk able to get to Port for the cup will absent themselves from the yearly social occasion.
At least the Kempsey racegoers will take advantage of attending the meeting as they love their racing in the Macleay area.
Latimore said bookings for the functions had been good for Port but now new arrangements have to be made.
Racing NSW made the decision to change venues due to Port being subject to much rain, the necessity for the rail to be out and in view of an upcoming meeting for the Port Macquarie Race Club.
A bus will take patrons from the Wauchope RSL Club and the Port Macquarie Racecourse at 11am sharp.
Fashions On The Field with prizes for ladies and gents will be held.
Trainers will be keen to win not only the cup but the M&S Print "Bago Bluff" Sprint over 1250m as the rewards are the horses are exempt from ballot for rich races at the Grafton Cup Carnival next month.
Look for my preview in Friday's papers.
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