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By Geoff Newling

Lismore Turf Club begins a new year of racing with a good response to this Saturday’s six-race TAB meeting. The LTC received 85 nominations for the six $10,000 races headlined by a benchmark 60 2000m staying test.

Nominations for that 2000m B60 were extended until 11am today after the race received 14 nominations. It was one of four races to be extended with the Class 2 1516m (10), Class 1 1000m (13) and Maiden 1400m (14) also held open until late this morning to help pad out the day.

“The noms aren’t too bad considering,” LTC chief executive officer Scott Jones said. “The 2000m race especially. A few years we’d struggle to get a field for a 2000m race. I think the average for 2000m races in the country is something like 9.3 now but we’ve got at least 14.

“I don’t know why we are getting fields but probably because of the Queensland horses coming across the border now after the better prizemoney.”

Indeed half of the nominations for Saturday’s 2000m event came from across the border. Deagon trainers Michael Lakey (Weekend Winner) and Phoebe Trindall (Rich Pride) are joined by Warwick’s Garry Schwenke (Born To Run) and Steve Stanek (Cousin Ben) as well as Gold Coast-based Ruth Cooper (Hauser) and Tracy Timbery (Road To The Bay).

Mr “Highway Handicap” Matt Dunn, based at Murwillumbah, also has a runner in the 2000m – Explosive One.

“It’s his only runner,” Scott Jones said of the gelding who has won three of 21 starts. “One or two of our club directors are in the horse.”

The son of Onemorenomore will be having his first start at Lismore if he does start Saturday when the LTC has a late start.

“Our first race is at 2.20pm,” Scott Jones said. “We have a late start with the last race at 5.54pm. Our gates open at 11am though.”

View the nominations for Lismore's Saturday TAB meeting here.