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By Mark Brassel

Former Canberra Raiders star Jarrod Croker kicked a massive 915 goals for his side over 15 seasons in the NRL and he’ll be hoping to land a few more next Sunday.

Croker will be at Moruya Racecourse for the race club’s second running of the Newhaven Park South East Racing Country Championships.

Ken Brown, Executive Officer of Moruya Jockey Club said: “We’re expecting a fantastic afternoon at Moruya for the Country Championships and it’s definitely worth jumping in your car and making a weekend of it.

Former NRL player Jarrod Croker - will be at Moruya races on Sunday. Image by WWOS

“We have two terrific ambassadors in Jarrod Croker and Tommy Berry who is expecting to have a few rides on the day.

“There will be a Calcutta the night prior on Saturday at the Adelaide Hotel, Moruya commencing from 6pm.

“And on Sunday there will not only be great racing but inclusive Party Mode DJs on course, and a huge Fashions on the Field contest with the dress theme for the day being ‘Coastal Chic’.

“For the kids there will be pony rides, a jumping castle and face painting with plenty of great local food products also on offer.”

Tommy Berry, who is running fifth in the Sydney Jockeys’ Premiership, is keen to promote the raceday: “I used to go down to Moruya for the Narooma Cup when I was a bit younger,” he said.

“This comes at a good time of year for me – they’re a great club and I’m happy to help out and ride a few on the day.”

Recent Rosehill Gardens Highway winner Bon Frankie, who is prepared by Aaron Clarke at Braidwood about an hour from Moruya, will be lining in the Country Championships event.

“He’s never gone better and has to be a strong change in the Country Championships,” Clarke said.

“He should have won at Moruya first-up then finished well to win a Highway at Rosehill. He got well back at Canberra last time and was motoring late.

“You’d think there will be plenty of speed at Moruya and that gives him the chance to finish over the top of them.”

Nowra galloper Discreet Miss, who won the Belle of the South on her home course last December, is an entry and is also expected to be in contention.

And Flying Impala, trained at Goulburn by Mary Bray and is one of just four horses in her stable, should be a big player.

The gelding has been impressive leading throughout at Canberra and Hawkesbury in his last couple of appearances.

Winners and runners-up of each of the seven Country Championships races (and two Wild Card winners at Scone and Goulburn) then compete for $1 million in the Final run at Royal Randwick on Saturday 6 April.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Newcastle Beaumont Track (Wine Country Race Club), Nowra
Tuesday: Scone
Thursday: Bathurst
Friday: Goulburn, Ballina
Saturday: Tuncurry-Forster, Carrathool (non-TAB), Tottenham picnics (non-TAB)
Sunday: Moruya (Country Championships), Armidale