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By Mark Brassel

Dubbo-based trainer Clint Lundholm will be making the 320km round trip to Coonamble next Sunday with a small army of horses aimed at the feature race.

Coonamble Jockey Club will be hosting the upcoming $150,000 Newhaven Park Country Championships for the Western Racing Association.

Lundholm’s team is shaping up as a 10-horse squad to tackle the event whereby first and second placegetters qualify to run in the $500K Country Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday 1 April.

There'll be some great racing action at Coonamble next Sunday. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

The stable is on currently fire with 10 winners from the last 37 NSW runners, an impressive 27% strike rate that includes victors at Bathurst, Orange, Quirindi, Coonabarabran and on home soil.

Heading the Lundholm runners are Amulet Street and Listen to the Band, both $26 chances for the Final on TAB, with the latter racing particularly well recording four wins from his past five starts.

Lundholm had five runners last year with just Amulet Street qualifying when runner-up to Great Buy. His other runners finished third (Ferus), fifth (Avalicious), sixth (Watch Me Rumble) and 11th (Activation).

Ana Robson, Coonamble Jockey Club’s secretary, said she is expecting a huge crowd on Sunday with a vast range of entertainment and hospitality on offer.

“All ladies receive a complimentary glass of champagne on entry and along with the bar, there will be a cocktail bar,” she said.

“As well as our normal on-course food, TP Catering will have a huge range of food including pulled pork and nachos, and the TAB will have social activation on ground.

“We have a large Fashions on the Field competition this year with the major prize available to all finalists in the four categories: Miss Country Championships, Best Dressed Lady, Best Dressed Gent and Best Dressed Couple.

“That prize is a ticket for two to the Ballroom Luncheon at Royal Randwick on Day 1 of The [Star] Championships on April 1 with two night’s accommodation in Sydney.

“Our fashions sponsors are Jones Made, Mink & Me, Leonards Store, Coonamble Cellars and Ramble Flora.

“Along with the focus on Fashions on the Field there will be fashion parades by Blue Illusion, Jade Boutique, Ruby Maine and My Banks, and Pearls for Girls will have a marquee.

“And for the children there’ll be Pooka the Clown and a jumping castle.

“We appreciate the support of all our sponsors that include Dad & Dave Turf, Evergreen, Evergreen Victoria, Evergreen Australia, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Elite Sand & Soil, Paragon Pastoral, Southern Cross Turf, Inland Petroleum, Woodham Petroleum, Qube Agri, Coonamble Ag Spray, Batterline Earthmoving, Conseth Solutions, Regional Insurance Services and Swanny's Foods.”

Following Coonamble, the last two chances to get into the Country Championships Final will be in the Goulburn Southern Wildcard on Friday 17 March and the Scone Northern Wildcard on Sunday 19 March.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Wagga, Tamworth
Tuesday: Taree
Thursday: Goulburn
Friday: Muswellbrook
Saturday: Kempsey, Corowa, Broken Hill (non-TAB), Crookwell picnics (non-TAB)
Sunday: *Coonamble
*Denotes Country Championships