The Jim Jarvis-trained galloper heads a strong line-up of nominations from Rosehill, Warwick Farm, Wyong, Cessnock, Muswellbrook and the Mid North Coast for the Taree-Wingham Race Club’s big hometown carnival.

The race is likely to be the swansong for old warrior, 11-year-old Carael Boy, trained by Bob Milligan at Taree, the gelding trying to be the first galloper from the Mid North Coast to break the million dollar prizemoney mark (so far about $965,000 from 20 wins and 11 placings from 84 starts) in the cup.

But all eyes will be on Mr Gold Fire as he tries to create history by being the first galloper to win three cups, albeit in a row.

Like last year, the gelding has had two runs before tackling the cup and this preparation obviously suits the visitor which has also won many country cups, including the Coffs Harbour Cup in 2006, the gelding being based there for his assaults on local racing.

Mr Gold Fire won by a head from Scone galloper Fair Trial (again nominated) last year but was awesome the year before in scoring by nearly four lengths.

The gelding in winning last year’s Taree Cup qualified for the Wyong Cup and was being tilted towards the Newcastle Cup but the advent of the equine influenza virus put paid to the ambitious plans.

A win this year will again qualify Mr Gold Fire for the Wyong Cup, a race some of the other nominated gallopers will be aiming for.

Six-year-old Fair Trial was trained by Paul Goodwin until just recently and is now in the stable of Lesley Malony at Cessnock.

Rosehill trainer Allan Denham has a strong hope in Swat which recently won at Canterbury as part of six career wins.

Swat at its last start was third at a Randwick meeting transferred to Kembla Grange and is in good form to give the cup a shake.

Another galloper with recent Sydney form, including seconds at Kensington and Canterbury, is Want A Bet, formerly trained at Taree by Steven Fell but now in the hands of Anthony Olsen at Warwick Farm.

Another nomination from the Farm is Prince Of Midnight, trained by Toby Edmonds, the galloper having won only two races, they being at Kembla and Canterbury.

Wyong gelding Sussman, trained by John Hubbard, has plenty of form in country cups and Sydney to recommend it as a top hope.

Best of the local brigade probably is So The Cat Said, trained at Port Macquarie by Neil Godbolt, the galloper now ready to step up to the 2000m after some searching races of late.

Taree’s best hope appears to be six-year-old gelding Champion’s League, trained by Ross Stitt, the galloper scoring in the last stride in the $12,000 Taree Cup Prelude last week and has been aimed specifically at its hometown cup.

Most of the top country trainers have nominated for Friday (acceptances being taken today) with Milligan having five, Broadmeadow’s Paul Perry, six, Stitt, eight, Godbolt, five, Wyong trainer Stephen ‘Beaver’ Schofield three, including two last start winners and Coffs Harbour’s Gordon Yorke, six.

The galloper which made history as Cessnock jockey Robert Thompson’s 3323 winner, Schofield’s Promised, has been nominated for two races whereas another from the stable, last start Taree winner Fuhrmidable, is in the feature $12,000 Bushland Tavern Rating 77 Handicap over 1600m.

Nominations for the feature are strong and include Kempsey’s Casino Bob, Perry’s Dorer, Jason Deamer’s Gypsy Honour, last start Coffs Harbour winner for Jarvis, Jagoe Road, Milligan’s Like Chocolate, Stitt’s Mr Mumbles, Michael Byers’ Natal Lad, a nose second to Champion’s League last week in the Prelude, Trevor Shoesmith’s Stormy Lee and Godbolt’s improving Terrahawk.

Racegoers are in for some tip-top action as gallopers from many districts of NSW and Victoria battle it out for the lucrative prizemoney.