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Lindley in powwow with new powerbrokers

TONY WHITE

04 Jan, 2009 01:00 AM

COUNTRY chairman Gordon Lindley will meet the new Racing NSW Board this month to discuss the future of country racing.

Lindley is keen to discuss the board's views, particularly in regard to Victoria's plans to close of numerous smaller clubs and create major rural training centres.

"I've only briefly spoken and congratulated [chairman] Alan Brown but we've got a meeting with [Racing Industry Consultancy Group] and the board on January 20," Lindley said. "We'll sit down and discuss a few things, let them know which way we're planning to head and get a feeling on their ideas.

"At this stage, I don't think there will be too many changes but they [the board's members] may feel differently.

"One thing I don't want to see is, like the Victorian plan, closure of one-meeting-a-year clubs. I'll be fighting strongly to keep all our clubs open. Hopefully, the board isn't thinking the way to improve racing is get rid of clubs.

"Geographically, NSW is unlike Victoria. You can't expect people to travel huge distances just to find a training facility." Ryan seeks eighth win

Champion bush jockey Greg Ryan partners Slick Sniper for Tracey Bartley in today's $27,000 Gilgandra Cup (1600 metres).

Ryan is chasing a remarkable eighth win in the race after scoring aboard Top Sodbuster (1995), Satin Reserve (1996), Double The Ton (1998), Northern Glow (2000), Nepelle (2001), Antonia's Music (2002) and Shagny Lover (2004).

He has been booked for Sweeping Move in the $17,000 Town Plate on the attractive eight-race program. Gunna Happen soon

Narooma Cup topweight Gunna Happen will miss tomorrow's race, and instead is nominated for the Moruya Cup and Moruya Town Plate on January 19.

Trainer Robert Price will rely on Step Forward (Grant Buckley) in the $22,000 Narooma Cup as he attempts to become the first horse to record back to back wins after success last year.

Moruya-trained Old Man Sam is the only horse to win two Narooma Cups but achieved the feat in 2000 and 2002.

Step Forward has a great cup record on the South Coast, also having won the Bega and Mollymook cups.

"I wasn't keen on Gunna Happen and Step Forward clashing," Price said. "I'll freshen up Gunna Happen and nominate him for both the big races at Moruya on January 19 with a leaning to the Town Plate," Price said. "Step Forward is nicely weighted with 54.5 kilos, drawn well [barrier one], and I reckon he's going every bit as good as this time last year."

The $25,000 Moruya Cup is over 1930m, and the $16,000 Town Plate over 1425m.

Price said a muscle problem and pulling a plate in running contributed adversely to Step Forward's last-start ninth to Come On Cugat at Randwick on December 20.

The other important South Coast meeting is Sapphire Coast Turf Club's $10,000 Merimbula Cup (1400m) this Saturday. And the finalists are …

Finalists for the Country Racing Awards for Excellence have been determined.

The winners, including the prestigious Simon Nivison Special Achievement Award, will be announced at Star City on Friday, January 23.

The finalists are:

TAB Club Award: Albury Racing Club, Clarence River Jockey Club, Scone Race Club.

Community Race Club: Braidwood Jockey Club, Cooma-Monaro Race Club, Cowra Picnic Race Club, Lightning Ridge Race Club.

Most Popular Race Meeting: Albury Racing Club, Albury Gold Cup; Clarence River Jockey Club, Grafton Cup; Murrumbidgee Turf Club, Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Day.

Best Innovation by a Country Club: Albury Racing Club, Mudgee Race Club, Shoalhaven City Turf Club.

Media : The Border Mail , Albury; Ken Gentles; Grahame Timbrell.

Country-Trained Horse: Helideck (trainer, Brett Cavanough), Sniper's Bullet (Tracey Bartley), Takeover Target (Joe Janiak).

Country Trainer: Brett Bellamy, Brett Cavanough, John Shelton.

Country Jockey: Peter Graham, Greg Ryan, Robert Thompson.

Country Apprentice: Ben Looker, Kody Nestor, Jamie Quinnell. Drizzle after hat-trick

Wagga's Ted Ryder Cup winner Drizzle will chase its third successive win in the $250,000 Magic Millions Stayers Cup (1800m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

The Gary Sherer-trained galloper had been completely out of form and retirement loomed before the upset Ted Ryder Cup win.

But the result was only finalised in the stewards' room when brotherly love was tossed out the window.

Brad Clark (Mr Sunset) fired in a protest against Drizzle, ridden by his younger brother, Tim. Stewards dismissed Brad's objection. They're racing

TAB meetings: Today - Gilgandra, Murwillumbah; Monday - Moruya, Muswellbrook; Friday - Canberra, Port Macquarie; Saturday - Sapphire Coast.

Non-TAB: Saturday - Albury, Ballina, Glen Innes, Mudgee. Stable Secrets

DORIS: Her day.

CLASS OF CLOWNS: Last laugh.

WINTER KING: Will rule.

tony_white3@bigpond.com