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By Graeme White

There is plenty to celebrate at Gundagai on Friday with a change of date and day for its traditional meeting, but also to acknowledge the involvement of nearby Adelong as part of the historic club.

For the 59th time the Adelong Cup over 1400 metres will be run with additional prize money for all races and TAB status.

Last year, four races were run for $12,000 each and another for $15,000.

It’s far different on Friday with six races at a minimum of $27,000 per race and another two races at $30,000 each.

“We normally race on New Year’s Day, but when the opportunity came up to have a TAB meeting a day later which has a lot of benefits with the extra prize money and TAB turnover the club agreed,” Gundagai-Adelong Race Club secretary Michael Heath said.

Gundagai's New Year meeting has changed date to Friday.

“We also approached the business community of Adelong and they have again sponsored the meeting with a fair bit of money and we will have a bus running between the towns.

“We feel it’s important to have the involvement of the Adelong community and after all it is the Gundagai-Adelong Race Club.”

Coincidently, the first running of the Adelong Cup under the present club status was also run on January 2.

The topical tip in the cup is Gundy Guy (Gundagai) who is trained by former Gundagai man Todd Smart.

Gundy Guy has been well down on his best form in recent starts finishing near the tail of the field.

The five-year-old has never raced at the track/town after which he has named and Smart is hoping for an improved effort.

“He has had issues which I have been trying to get on top of,” he said.

“Hopefully he runs a better race because he is a talented horse when he is right.”

Hellberg won at Corowa on Tuesday and has been penalised two kilograms to 59.5 kilograms.

However, after the three-kilogram claim for apprentice jockey Alice Kennedy will have 56.5 kilograms.

Daze Off was a strong finishing third last time out at Kembla Grange, but may be scratched from the cup as he is also an acceptor for the TAB Highway at Randwick on Saturday.

Luna Angel has the best recent winning form with two victories from her past three starts.

She has been successful twice at Queanbeyan for apprentice jockey Teaghan Martin with her only recent failure being a last at Canterbury when she was only beaten four and a half lengths.

Gundagai legend Bob Vaughan will be remembered with the running of his memorial race which has attracted a full field.

Vaughan was the race starter at not only Gundagai, but many other tracks throughout the southern region for decades.

Martin and trainer Geoff Crothers have another strong hope in Vainstream who is due for a change of luck after finishing second at three of his past six starts.

Witch Of November is second-up from a spell for trainer Wayne Carroll who hasn’t had a lot of starters this season, but the stable has produced an impressive winning record.

From 17 starters, five horses have won with a further four placings.

Most of the winners have been first or second-up from a spell and Witch Of Novembers falls into the latter category.

“She is an honest mare as her record shows and she should be competitive again,” Carroll said.

“Some of the other winners like Salute Again and Magna Mak have been very fit to win and it was good to see Riverbend Unicorn also win at Wagga on Boxing Day.

“He was overdue for that win and he got there second-up from a break.

“It was the same with Magna Mak who won first-up then ran a good second behind a smart horse at Corowa.

“Magna Mak’s owner Geoff Wilks loves his racing and has had a lifetime involvement with racing so it’s nice to see her doing well.”

All the fields, form and replays for Friday's Gundagai meeting