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By Doug Ryan

Wauchope Jockey Club is hoping a new date will bring renewed excitement for the 34^th Lasiandra Cup, moved to this Saturday from Easter at its Beechwood Road headquarters.

The meeting is an integral part of lasiandra celebrations in the Wauchope community and despite the date change, the club will still be “in song” with its purpose. Racegoers are encouraged to wear purple and prizes will be awarded to the best dressed.

“The Saturday meeting caters for the local community, especially when there are no other meetings competing with ours,” the club’s secretary, Debbie Prosser, said.

“When the meeting was on the Easter Monday, there was one at Port Macquarie on Saturday and one at Taree during the week and both took potential runners from Wauchope.

“The track is good, will play well and the club hopes local people will support the day.”

Last year’s Lasiandra Cup winner, six-year-old gelding Prince Coureuse, trained at Taree by Tess Wilkes, is among 13 nominations from Grafton, Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Cessnock, Wyong and Wauchope for Saturday’s cup.

Wilkes celebrated last year’s cup by providing the quinella, Prince Coureuse ($8.50), ridden by star apprentice Mikayla Weir, 5.25 lengths from stablemate Unique Dream.

The race for Benchmark 45 gallopers is again over 1650m and is one of five races worth $6000 each at the community meeting. About 50 nominations have been received for the meeting and among the Wauchope gallopers from the Colt Prosser stable are Mayz Honour and Robynlucy in a 1000m maiden and Sunsout Shirtoff in a maiden 1650m.

Another local trainer, Michael O’Neill, has nominated five-year-old gelding Moshpit for the cup. Its latest start provided a sixth in the Gladstone Cup over 1900m behind Loud Enough last week.

The club is gearing up for its $32,000 Wauchope Cup over 1500m, part of a $172,000 prizemoney TAB meeting at Port Macquarie Racecourse on Sunday, June 17.

Last year the cup was won sensationally by Port galloper Explosive Scene, trained by Marc Quinn and ridden by 17-year-old Irish apprentice jockey Robbie Dolan.

View the fields and form for Saturday's Wauchope meeting here.