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By Mark Brassel

The NSW central tablelands town of Orange has escaped the ‘big wet’ hammering the east coast and is full steam ahead for Racing Orange’s rich Country Showcase meeting on Friday.

The town received 7 mils of rain on Wednesday but has since had a clean slate with the track in excellent order.

Racing action at Orange - fine weather is predicted all this week leading up to Cup Day on Friday. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

Feature event on a Racing NSW Country Showcase program boasting a total of $320,00 in prizemoney is the $75,000 Southern Cross Austereo Orange Gold Cup (2100m).

“We’ll have food stalls and live music with gates opening at midday for an eight-race Showcase meeting,” said RO’s secretary, Sabrina Griffith.

“Our Fashions on the Field is one of the highlights of the afternoon and is proudly sponsored by Cosmedic Collective, Julie Herbert Milinery, Quest Apartments and Angullong Wines.

“Group 1 Room Catering will be cooking up a storm with renowned chef Matt Dillow and a courtesy bus is operating from the Visitor Information Centre commencing at noon.”

The Cup is supported by the $50,000 Country Magic Showcase Handicap (1600m) and the $35,000 Cup Showcase Sprint (1000m).

Goulburn-based trainer Jean Dubois has already entered four horses for Friday’s meeting, Largo Winch, Loubard, Lucilight and Berry Berry Good who was unplaced at Muswellbrook two days ago.

Largo Winch, who is entered for the Showcase Benchmark 66 (1300m) and the Showcase Class 1 (1400m) is the best credentialled galloper, having scored at Hawkesbury three starts back.

An interesting entry for the Orange Cup is the Richard Freedman-trained Olympic Theatre, an ex-UK stayer.

Olympic Theatre is a winner at Windsor (2303m) and Haydock (2341m) in Great Britain and won at Newcastle (1880m) at his third Aussie start.

Meanwhile, Grenfell Picnic Race Club will stage its first meeting since 2019 on 9 April. Due to the impacts of COVID, GPRC missed two years of racing and is focusing the raceday on families.

The Club’s president, Danny Kotel said: “We’re so glad to be back racing and we’ll be paying more attention to the younger brigade.

“There’ll be entertainment and activities for the younger people as well as novelty events. And the adults will also be well catered for with Fashions on the Field, a bar and canteen.

“We’ve had time to look into the future of the Club, so we introduced social memberships that allows supporters to secure raceday tickets. And Lachlan Fert (Delta Ag) and Anthony Dixon have stuck with us sponsoring the fashions.”

The Club commenced upgrades to their racetrack during COVID that included renovations on the sheds, kitchen and toilets: “We look forward to using the new facilities for the first time on April 9.”

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Scone, Port Macquarie
Tuesday: Grafton
Thursday: Goulburn
Friday: Orange
Saturday: Glen Innes, Leeton (non-TAB), Warren (non-TAB), Grenfell picnics (non-TAB)
Sunday: Wagga, Port Macquarie