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By Mark Brassel

Dubbo trainer Michael Mulholland would love nothing better than to be represented by his first runner in the $3 million Big Dance at Royal Randwick in November.

Mulholland is hoping his in-form galloper Magnace ($15 on TAB) can qualify for the rich event by taking out Friday’s $75,000 Pirtek Orange Gold Cup (2100m).

The chestnut has won his past three starts impressively including his last start Orange Cup Prelude victory which assures him of a start in Friday’s Gold Cup.

Magnace (Siena Grima) in full flight at Dubbo. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

“The Orange Cup will be his D-Day and hopefully he can qualify for the Big Dance as I’ve won plenty of Cups, but that’s one race I'd really love to win,” Mulholland declared.

“This will be his sixth run this preparation so win, lose or draw he’ll be heading out for a well-earned break.

“Hopefully, he gets the cash and then I can set him for the Randwick race later in the year.”

Magnace has been a revelation for the Mulholland stable with wins at Orange twice and at Dubbo.

The gelding was formerly trained by Danny O’Brien in Victoria where he won one race from eight outings.

“We bought him online and took a little while to work him out,” Mulholland said.

“He was a bit of a weedy thing but has now furnished into a lovely type.”

In each of his wins Magnace has come from behind with a long and sustained sprint to claim the lead halfway down the straight and power away.

“He carries his head a little high but that doesn’t seem to stop him; a few times I thought he was out of gas on the home corner but then he seems to find another gear and away he goes.”

Serg Lisnyy has partnered Magnace in two of his past three wins and Mulholland said he will again be aboard the five-year-old.

Friday’s eight-race Racing Orange meeting is a Racing NSW Country Showcase program with a total of $340,000 in prizemoney on offer.

The Club will have a Fashions on the Field with plenty of prizes as well as on-course catering, a coffee van and sweets bar.

And popular musicians Robbi and Ben – winners of the ‘Best of the Buskers’ category at the Tamworth Country Music Festival – will be belting out tunes during the afternoon.

Courtesy buses will also be operating at midday from the Robin Hood and Ophir Hotels.

On Saturday, Dubbo Turf Club will be hosting the third running of the Arrowfield Queen of the West.

The $50,000 Arrowfield-sponsored fillies and mares feature runs concurrently to the hugely popular Mercedes-Benz Ladies Day social event.

Arrowfield will again provide a nomination to three-time Group 1 and dual Derby winner Hitotsu, which will be presented to winning connections of the Arrowfield Queen of the West.

“In just three years, the event has become a flagship raceday for Dubbo Turf Club and aims to showcase high quality racing as well as local hospitality,” said DTC's General Manager Sam Fitzgerald. “Our goal for this event, like everything we do, is to get a little better each year.

“We have some terrific attractions lined up – Kylie Jane and her band will play throughout the day and at the after-party and there is a Fashions on the Field with a cowboy chic theme.

“As well we’ll have some exhibits from local distillers and seafood merchants, as well as Mercedes-Benz fleet of high-class vehicles on display.”

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Friday: Orange, Port Macquarie
Saturday: Dubbo, Queanbeyan, Warialda (non-TAB), Carrathool (non-TAB), Grenfell picnics (non-TAB)
Sunday: Wagga, Grafton