BEN Looker's cup run could continue at Taree this week.
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The leading Northern Rivers jockey won the recent Grafton Cup aboard Sacred Day and then followed up with last Sunday's Casino Gold Cup when successful on the Kris Lees-trained Powerline.
On Friday Looker will ride Tarbert for his former boss, Grafton trainer John Shelton, in the $32,000 Hopkins Livermore Cup (1400m) at Taree.
Two days later and Looker will be back trying to win the $100,000 Stacks Law Firm Taree Cup.
Last year's Taree Cup was won by the Richard Freedman-trained Shalmaneser, ridden by Andrew Adkins, while Kris Lees saddled up three runners including recent Grafton winner Our Gravano who could return for a second shot.
Our Gravano was one of five horses nominated from the Lees stable for Sunday's race in a big field containing plenty of metropolitan runners.
Leading trainer Chris Waller has nominated three runners, including last Saturday's Rosehill winner Hogmanay.
Randwick trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have nominated two while Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have two nominated from their stable.
Manning Valley Race Club executive officer Helen Sinclair hoped the increased prizemoney for the Taree Cup to $100,000 would attract strong fields and that is evident by the quantity (28) and quality of Cup nominations.
"Together with the new initiative introduced by Racing NSW - TAB Country Magic race with prizemoney of $50k - the Cup program will be offering $345,000 in prizemoney,'' she said.
"The nominations were okay," she said of the 152 for Sunday's cup meeting.
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"The cup itself were excellent. And the Magic race is going to be something special. Overall it's a pretty good program. Friday's meeting is also strong with 117 acceptors and full fields in every race."
She said Friday's Hopkins Livermore Cup meeting is in honour of two stalwarts of the local club, Don Hopkins and Ivan Livermore.
Don Hopkins, OAM, was on the board of the Taree and Taree-Wingham Race Clubs for 36 years, 10 years as chairman and 22 as treasurer.
Ivan Livermore is credited with having 1550 winners from 10,000 starters as an owner and great supporter of local racing.
Prizemoney totals $186,000 on Friday.
A Taree Cup Calcutta will take place at Taree Leagues and Sports Club on Saturday night with a Fashions On The Field on Cup Day. There is also entertainment before and after the races.
