The Quirindi Cup will return to its home in 2021 with racing this Friday.
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The Quirindi Cup wasn't run at the Quirindi Racecourse last year but, unlike many other events in 2020, COVID wasn't the cause.
The Quirindi track was made unsafe by storms last year meaning Scone instead hosted the meeting.
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Rain shouldn't be a worry this year with the track rated a Good 4 and a partly cloudy day with a top of 29 predicted for cup day.
There has been 123 acceptances for the meeting which will see mostly full fields on the day.
"We've still got COVID restrictions in place so we'll be aware of social distancing all day but apart from that the fields are great," Quirindi Jockey Club secretary manager Ted Wilkinson said.
"We should have eight really good races and I'm expecting a reasonable crowd."
Wilkinson added: "We're certainly happy with the acceptors. We didn't have to divide any races but we do have some reserves in several races."
There will be no fashions in the field competition this year - "because of COVID restrictions," Wilkinson said - which may impact numbers but Wilkinson wasn't worried.
He said it was a day locals look forward to each year - Geoff O'Brien being one of them.
The Quirindi trainer will be flying the flag for the town after nominating two horses for the main race in Vega De Lago and Chuck'n'paul.
Chuck'n'paul was named first emergency but gained a start after O'Brien scratched Vega De Lago.
The gelding is rated a $51 chance with TAB and comes into the race after placing five times in his last 10 starts.
"He's been fairly competitive in all his races and hopefully he can run a nice race," O'Brien said.
"I don't know if he can win but if he runs his normal race he should be thereabouts."
As for the horse to beat, O'Brien nominated Lesley Jeffriess' rejuvenated gelding Call Me Brad as tough to go past.
"He's racing in real good form and I can't see why he wouldn't be the hardest to beat," O'Brien said.
Call Me Brad has claimed four wins from his last five starts including a last-start win in the Walcha Cup but will have to contend with a wide barrier after drawing 16.
Other horses in the market for the $50,000 Quirindi Cup include Tracey Bartley's Joigny, Cameron Crockett's Brother Bassy and Stirling Osland's In Heart's Wake.
Being a showcase meeting, there is good prizemoney on offer right across the card.
There is at least $30,000 on offer for every race on Friday at Quirindi.
Ben Jaffrey
Ben is a content curator and journalist for The Land. He has been with ACM since 2015 and first worked at The Area News and then at the Northern Daily Leader. Ben first joined ACM Agri as a digital journalist for all seven agricultural mastheads in 2022 before shifting to The Land full-time in 2023.
Ben is a content curator and journalist for The Land. He has been with ACM since 2015 and first worked at The Area News and then at the Northern Daily Leader. Ben first joined ACM Agri as a digital journalist for all seven agricultural mastheads in 2022 before shifting to The Land full-time in 2023.
