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By Geoff Newling

Gunnedah Jockey Club is preparing for a huge Gunnedah Gold Cup meeting to celebrate 150 years of racing at its picturesque Riverside course this Sunday.

It’s the second of three meetings that make up the Winter Carnival of Cups.

The $36,000 Hopefuel Gunnedah Gold Cup (1600m) highlights Sunday’s seven-race TAB meeting while the $22,000 Fuchs Lubricants Lightning (1000m) is the main support race along with a XXXX Gold Akwazoff Benchmark 55 Handicap.

The latter is named after the marvellous Tamworth gelding, trained by legendary Merv Corliss, who won three Gunnedah Cups in 1997-98-99 and who also won a 1997 Grafton Cup.

“He was an incredible horse who won 36 of 136 starts,” GJC Secretary Mark Storey said.

“He won the three Gunnedah Cups here in a row and went on to win a Grafton Cup after his first Gunnedah Cup win.

“He won with 63.5kg here and even carried 69kg to win at Quirindi one day.”

Cervinia, who won last Thursday’s 1600m Somerton Cup for Wyong trainer Damien Lane, might back-up in the Gunnedah Gold Cup, chasing a third successive win.

GJC President Kevin Edmonds is confident his club will receive good support when nominations for Sunday’s Gunnedah Gold Cup meeting close 11am tomorrow.

“We’re hoping the weather remains the same as it was last Thursday,” he said.

“The weather was perfect last Thursday and I thought the crowd was excellent for a Thursday. Hopefully we’ll receive similar nominations and make it a big day.”

The Riverside track is also in excellent condition after good rain late last week.

View the program for the Gunnedah Gold Cup here.