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By Geoff Newling

Good nominations ensure Friday’s 2017 Akubra Quirindi Cup meeting will provide a strong eight-race TAB-covered meeting that begins with Cup Calcutta at the Quirindi RSL Club on Thursday night.

The $40,000 Akubra Quirindi Cup (1600m) is the feature race and finished with 17 nominations this morning while the Quirindi RSL sponsors the $30,000 Lightning Handicap (1100m) for which there were 21 nominations.

QJC secretary Ted Wilkinson is prepared for a big day of racing: “They were pretty good nominations,” he said of an eight race card which received 141 nominations. That’s a pretty good effort even though the two-year-old and Class 3 were a little disappointing. They should hold up though while we will have good fields for the Cup, Lightning and other support races.”

Five trainers – Jane Clement, Stephen Gleeson, Pat Farrell, Rod Northam and Paul Perry – are in the running to snare a Cup-Lightning double. Stephen Gleeson, Jane Clement and Paul Perry have extra chances of capturing a Cup.

Gleeson has entered Dancing Daydream and Pippi’s Pride for the Akubra Quirindi Cup and Don’t Tease Me in the Quirindi RSL Lightning, Perry has nominated Quartermaster and Secret Web for the metric mile feature with Surfin’ Safari in the Lightning while Bendemeer-based Clement has nominated Santiago and Southern orders in the Cup with Desert Marshal, a winner at Walcha on Cup day, her Lightning entrant.

Scone-based Rod Northam tackles the Cup-Lightning double with Husswick (Cup) and Sergeant Doakes (Lightning).

Port Macquarie-based trainer Tas Morton has nominated new Divide and Star Of Legs for the Cup while talented Bowie’s babe (Leon Davies) and dual Inverell Shorts winner, Capitano, are also notable nominations for the Lightning.

“It’s going to be a good day,” Ted Wilkinson added. “We also have a fashions in the field for men and women and a president’s luncheon (with QJC president Danny Donoghue) for sponsors and special guests at the track.

All the festivities start 6pm Thursday with a Cup Calcutta at the Quirindi RSL to be hosted by regular racecaller Kim Stewart.

Click here to view the nominations with form & replays for Quirindi