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By Greg Prichard

Wyong trainer Damien Lane has a strong hand at Tuesday’s non-TAB race meeting at Taree with two of his three runners - Alegna and Bold Storm - taking recent winning form into their events.

The meeting coincides with the Big Dance meeting at Royal Randwick and Manning Valley Race Club is anticipating a good crowd to come along and enjoy the atmosphere.

Alegna (Jenny Duggan) heads out to the barriers on her home course. Image by Bradley Photographers

Five-year-old mare Alegna will contest the Hogan Plumbing Group Class 1 Handicap over 1007m and Bold Storm, another five-year-old mare, the Glass 24/7 Benchmark 50 Handicap over 1262m.

Alegna and Bold Storm are the only runners in any of the five races to have won at their most recent start. Bold Storm has won at each of its last two.

“Bold Storm’s been racing well recently and her two wins have come at full TAB meetings at Coonamble and Muswellbrook,” Lane said.

“She obviously goes up a lot in weight coming to a non-TAB meeting, but this looks a nice-enough race for her.

“Alegna was a good winner in maiden class at Narromine. Jumps up to a Class 1, but like Bold Storm she’s found a suitable race.”

Prizemoney for each of the five races on the Taree card is $12,000, with $6400 going to the winner. It may not be as lucrative as TAB meetings, but it certainly keeps things ticking over for a stable if it can come away with a winner or two.

“The way racing is at the moment, it’s so competitive that it’s hard to win wherever you go,” Lane said.

“So when you get an opportunity like this, to race in a bit easier grade, if you’ve got the right horses going to the right races and you manage to pick up a win it still pays the bills.”

Lane’s other runner at the meeting is three-year-old gelding Shezi, which will contest the Club Taree Maiden Plate over 1312m. Shezi has finished out of the placings at all three of his career starts and could only manage an 11th of 12 in his last start in a maiden at Narromine on October 21.

“He’s been a little bit disappointing to be honest, he needs to show us something,” Lane said. “If not he’ll probably have to move out the door to somewhere easier.

"But this is the easiest race he’s found, so we’ll see whether he’s up to winning it or not.”

*Gates open at 11am. First race 1.10pm. Admission $10 and $5 concession. Full bar, bistro, TAB and bookmaker facilities, plus the Lions Club food van.

Visit Facebook page Manning Valley Race Club for more information.

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