The MRC is one of four clubs in the running for the Country TAB Race Club of the Year, joined in the final four by Wagga's Murrumidgee Turf Club, Grafton's Clarence River Jockey Club and the Sapphire Coast Turf Club.

"It's a nice surprise," MRC general manager Duane Dowell told The Leader Tuesday.

"Good to be in it again. We have been in the final four the last four or five years.

"Just happy for all the staff and directors, who do such a great job. They work hard and run a very good club down here."

Dowell is also delighted with the nominations for Sunday's seven-race TAB meeting.

The MRC received 148 nominations including 21 for the feature race, the $30,000 Bengalla Cup (1280m).

"They are good noms," he said. "Should be a good race. It has been a good race for many years too. First started in the early 1990's and was first run as the Olympic rings. Then it became the Bengalla Cup. They (Bengalla Mine) have been sponsoring it for the past 25 years. They are one of our longest and best partners."

Sunday's Bengalla Cup day will also be a celebration for the local Muswellbrook Junior Rugby League Club.

The MRC also honours former race day vet, the late Anthea Wright, with a meeting named in her honour.

Timeless Prince (Tony Newing), Pera Pera (Mack Griffith), Crooked Blaze (Leon Davies) will be high in the weights.

Gosford gelding Timeless Prince has been campaigning up north with unplaced efforts at Ipswich, Doombena nd Sunshine Coast before running eighth in the South Grafton Cup and then a last start fifth to Nautile in the Maclean Cup at Grafton.

Crooked Blaze was a winner at Grafton on Cup day but then finished out of a place in Sydney last Saturday for Tamworth trainer Leon Davies while the Mack Griffith-trained Pera Pera finished eighth to Crooked Blaze at Grafton in his first run back from a spell. Last time in the six-year-old gelding won a wellington heat of the Country Championship before running a big second to Clearly Innocent in the Country Championship Final at Randwick. He then finished second to Chrysolaus in the Tamworth Cup.

BENGALLA CUP WEIGHTS: Timeless Prince 61kg, Dylan’s Rojo 59.5kg, Agent (NZ) 59kg, Crooked Blaze 57.5kg, Mr Entertainer 57.5kg, Pera Pera 57kg, Specific Choice 55.5kg, Mercurian 55kg, Annandale Lass 54kg, Mystery Flight 54kg, Iwilldoit 54kg, Kangaru 54kg, Busting Through 54kg, Jack The Ringer 54kg, Conquer 54kg, Nick On The Run 54kg, Wisen Up 54kg, Bermuda Blu 54kg, Dancin Daydream 54kg, Sukraji 54kg, Dane De Lago 54kg, Ice Chiller 54kg