FORBES gets another chance to stamp itself as a destination trots track in the Central West this Sunday, when it hosts a Carnival of Cups meeting.
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Forbes Diggers Harness Racing Club president Lex Crosby is hoping to build on some of the momentum created at last weekend's meeting with some high quality fields.
"Sunday will certainly be for the racing purists; as a club we really do want to pour our energies in the Anzac Day meeting, which is really special for the region, so this meeting is really about attracting some really good quality racing," he said.
The extra turnover generated last Sunday from the entire meeting being covered by the TAB and Sky Racing also means Crosby and the club can use bigger prizemoney to attract the top runners.
"Fortunately, given this is a Carnival of Cups meeting, the prizemoney is quite healthy and due to last weekend's meeting being given full TAB status at the last minute Harness Racing NSW has kicked in a bit extra," Crosby said.
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One of the feature races this Sunday will be the $12,240 Jack Honan Championship Final, which rotates around Central West clubs each year, and Crosby is pleased Forbes is able to host this year.
"Jack started Manildra Stock Feeds, so he was a very successful business man but he also had a horse stud at his Canowindra farm.
"He brought a lot of broodmares to Australia from the USA so he was very well known in the western region trots fraternity - it is an absolute pleasure to host his Memorial championship race this year," said Crosby.
Bernie Hewitt's Beta Jewel has scored the inside draw in the final, though the filly was a touch disappointing last start as the $2.30 favourite, finishing 11m back in fourth, though she spent much of the race caught wide.
That draw could be crucial, with talented Nathan Turnbull colt Surf Ace stuck as the widest runner on the second row, while last star winner Drive To The Beach also has a sticky draw to contend with.
The other $12,240 feature racing will be the Forbes Diggers Harness Racing Club Final, with a belter of a field assembled based on last Sunday's heats. There is a Forbes flavour in the race, with Gary Eyre's Royal Feeling drawn well in the front row while Baby Be Mine and Promise To Rock are owned locally by the Hodges family.
Star hoop Amanda Turnbull will be in the gig of Saint Julien for her father Steve, after the three-year-old gelding cruised to a painless 15 metre win in his heat, while Steve will be driving Mach Daddy, who obliterated the opposition in a 2:00.2 30 metre win in his.
The first race will begin at 1.01pm.
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