There mightn't be any crowd but Tamworth Jockey Club general manager Mitch Shaw is preparing for a huge Tamworth Cup day on Sunday.
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The club received 211 nominations across the eight races, including 43 for the $160,000 Tamworth Showcase Cup (1400m), the meeting drawing interest from far and wide and from some of the biggest names in the racing game.
Richard and Michael Freedman are set to start Zaunkonig in the feature race. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and former Gunnedah local and now Warwick Farm trainer Greg Hickman, also nominated for the meeting but have elected not to start their perspective runners.
Waterhouse and Bott had nominated Rapido Chaparro for the Cup and Dazzling Damsel for the Jardel Cup, while Hickman had nominated Aristgrats for the Cup.
Shaw said it was pleasing to see the interest the meeting had garnered.
"It's really good to see those provincial and city trainers are looking for the Country Showcase Meetings to come up, and supporting country racing," he said.
It will be his first Cup in the role but looking at the benchmarks of the horses, Shaw believes should be one of the strongest for a while.
"It's going to be an exceptional Tamworth Cup," he said.
The Kris Lees-trained Articus (Fr) is the top weight just ahead of last year's Provincial Championships winner Bobbing (Bernie Kelly).
Father-and-son Glenn and Cody Morgan will lead the local charge. Glenn has last year's winner Unbiased, who was trained to victory last year by Cody, while Cody has Country Championships Final qualifier Ligulate as well as Over And Above.
"There's some really exceptional horses in this race," Shaw said.
The main race will be supported by the Jardel Cup, Mornington Showcase Handicap, John Clift Memorial and Country Magic Class 1 Handicap - all four offering $45,000 in prizemoney.
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The latter is a new addition this year.
"It's a new initiative from Racing NSW to provide a $50,000 race to a number of country clubs adding another showcase race for their day," Shaw said.
"Initially it was a $50,000 race but due to the reduction in prizemoney it's down to $45,000."
The club has also picked up an additional two meetings with Gunnedah Jockey Club's Monday May 4 and Sunday May 31 meetings transferred to Tamworth.
Advising of the transfer, Racing NSW cited issues with jockey segregation to meet the required protocols of COVID-19.
"It is unfortunate that Gunnedah can't meet the strict guidelines Racing NSW has put out but it's important that as an industry we continue to ensure those guidelines are met," Shaw said.
"We'll be working with Gunnedah, especially for their Cup meeting on the 31st of May, seeing how we can assist that club as well."
The change will mean some amendments to race race distances.
Monday 4th May: Class 1 & Maiden Plate - was 2050m and is NOW 2100M
Sunday 31st May: Benchmark 58 Handicap - was 2050m and is NOW 2100M; Benchmark 58 Handicap - was 1250m and is NOW 1200M; Maiden Handicap - was 1250m and is NOW 1200M
