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By Graeme White

Unbeaten Cooee who is aiming for the Evergreen Turf Country Championships can make his presence felt first-up at Wagga’s Australia Day meeting on Sunday.

Cooee has won his only two starts and will carry 62.5kg in the Congrats Mitch & Anna Benchmark 58 (1200m).

The late bloomer to racing won a trial at Albury last May before winning his two starts at the course.

Albury trainer Ron Stubbs [pictured left] hopes Cooee – a well named son of Holler – can measure up and prove he can be a force in the Country Championships SDRA race to be held at Wagga on Saturday 1 March.

“He has had one trial back and is only lightly raced for a six-year-old,” Stubbs said.

“The plan is to give him a couple of starts and if he goes well start at Wagga.”

Cooee, who will be ridden by Jason Lyon from barrier two, faces a suitable assignment at his first start for several months.

Jockey Mathew Cahill rode Cooee in his first two wins, but will partner Just Google Me who looms as one of the main dangers.

Just Google Me has raced once this campaign for a solid second at Wagga and is drawn to gain an ideal run from barrier four.

Kaida Blaze is also first-up from a break and is another contender while Rushford has won three of his past five starts.

Meanwhile, there is plenty on offer for the horses eligible in the Inglis Xtra Bonus Super Maiden (1200m).

Not only is there almost double normal prizemoney, but an additional $100,000 if the horses is eligible for the Inglis bonus.

This means the winning owners will take some $122,000 for first prize which is equivalent to about eight race wins.

Champion trainer Chris Waller will start Rach and has top jockey Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle ensuring the filly will be well fancied across betting markets.

Waller is a regular at Wagga Cup time, but rarely outside of that time and with the bonus of McEvoy for just the one ride on a Sunday the galloper can be expected to figure.

The other highlight race is the Riverina Mechanical Wagga Scamper Benchmark 82 (1000m).

Hulm has a lot of speed to match his talent and is first-up from a suitable draw in gate three.

Trainer Ross Purcell also has the proven Mr Moppett running and the gelding is proven at this level of racing.

Lyon has two excellent chances in Cooee and Hulm, while Stubbs prepares Rumours Abound who is another of the threats in the Scamper.

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