PRIZEMONEY for next year’s Wagga Pacers Cup will double to $30,000 and be lifted to Group Three status as was announced at the Club’s Sponsors and Awards evening on Saturday night.
More than 130 guests attended the end of season function where Club President Linda Inwood said the Cup on Saturday night, March 4, would be the biggest in the Club’s history.
“The race has been worth $15,000 for a few years and will be raced for $30,000 in 2017,” she said.
Following the sponsors’ draw where more than 40 sponsors were in contention for the major naming rights prize, Wagga business Southwest Stockfeeds was announced as next year’s sponsor.
It’s the second time Southwest Stockfeeds has backed the Cup after also winning naming rights in 2007.
Owner Brian Smith, who also trains a few pacers, said he was delighted to be sponsoring the Cup which will be the last held at the current site at the Wagga Showgrounds.
Smith could even have a stater in the race as he trains Mammals Flash who is heading in the right direction to qualify.
“To win it twice – I’m a bit shocked,” he said.
“I didn’t expect it, but to win when the race will be worth $30,000 is a big thrill.”
Last season’s Cup sponsor Nixons Engineering will sponsor the Cup prelude on February 21 where the first two horses to finish will be exempt from the ballot for the Cup.
Nesbitt’s Furniture (Wagga Derby), Union Club Hotel (Wagga Oaks) and Quick Tax Professionals (Two-Year-Old Rising Stars) will sponsor the other feature races on Cup night.
Harness Racing NSW Board Member Rod Smith told guests, tenders for the new $6.5 million track at Cartwrights Hill had asked for additional time to finalise their tenders which would now close on September 16.
“The new track will be great for the region with a 1000m track, some 120 race night stalls and administration and dining facilities,” he said.
The major award winners on the night included Shane Hillier who captured both the Riverina and Wagga Trainer Premierships for the first time.
Hillier said his family and stable owners were the driving force behind the stable’s success.
“It’s a big team effort – we had some good winners including four in a night at Leeton,” he said.
Driver Reece Maguire won his first Wagga Driver Premiership thanking his father Phil who trained a large number of his 24 winners at Wagga including a quadrella.
Maguire will shortly leave for a six week stint in New Zealand and was glad to take home some additional cash.
“We had a good season and Dad’s horses raced really well plus I drove some winners for other stables,” he said.
Despite leaving the region a few months earlier, Corey Bell held on to win by two in the Riverina Premiership.
Bell couldn’t be in attendance with his award accepted by Shaun Snudden who prepared most of his winners before recently stepping down to take up a role with Harness Racing NSW.
The Wagga Pacer of the Year prize was won by Shadeoff for trainer-driver Brooke McPherson who owns the mare with her father Scott.
Shadesoff raced 14 times at Wagga for four wins, five seconds and two thirds.
“She has been a great little mare for us – she always gives her best and had a really good season at Wagga,” she said.
The Riverina Pacer and Uuvenile of the Year were won by Sporty Spook and Don’t Think Twice respectively.
Sporty Spook was recently sold and will do his future racing in America, while Don’t Think Twice captured the Group One Bathurst Gold Tiara.
The Sonny Maguire Memorial Award was presented to Ian Thompson who recently stepped down from the Wagga committee after assisting the Club with its finances.
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