Unbeaten Baltra, trained by Gary Colvin in Wagga Wagga, is headed to Randwick on Villiers Day next Saturday. Colvin has earmarked a benchmark 80 race over 1300m for the talented five-year-old by Bureaucracy, part-owned by former trainer Dave Middleton. Baltra is unbeaten in four starts, including winning his two outings since resuming from a 60-week spell by a total of 11 lengths. His most recent win, in the Stan Sadlier Stakes (1400m), was an all-the-way 5.5- length romp against a solid field. "It [last start] was a very impressive win," Colvin said. "He really looks to be the goods." Despite winning two from two when first produced, Colvin revealed the gelding "wasn't 100 per cent". "He had a lot of trouble with his feet, kept going lame all the time. I even took him to an equine hospital to have him fully checked out. They couldn't detect anything major wrong with him so we gave him a long break. This time in there's been no problems. Time and maturity appear to have fixed the ailment." Randwick will be Baltra's last run this campaign. "He'll go for a spell then get ready for the Albury and Wagga carnivals next year," Colvin said. "He'll probably kick off in the Flat Knacker (900m) at Albury but Dave really wants to win the Town Plate at Wagga with him. Dave, when a trainer, won a Wagga Cup with Chance Affair (1998). He knows what it takes to win one over the carnival."
RAIDERS CHASE THE CASH
Anyone who doubted increased prizemoney levels at NSW country race meetings are having a marked effect, should note figures from Murwillumbah on Friday. Of the 132 horses which accepted, 81 were from north of the border. Admittedly, Murwillumbah is first stop this side of the border but horses came from as far away as Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton and Dalby. The Queensland ''invasion'' is also evident at other northern tracks like Ballina, Lismore, Grafton, Casino and even Port Macquarie and Taree. Down south, tracks such as Albury and Wagga are also experiencing increased numbers of Victorian horses.
WILL'N'GUS BACK IN FORM
Will'n'gus scored its first win since returning to the care of Trangie trainer Paul Mitchell at Narromine on Monday. The gelding started its career with Mitchell and looked to have a promising future before the owners moved to Queensland and took Will'n'gus with them. The horse lost all form up north. It was through a friendship with the owners that a member of the Narromine committee, Lesley Walsh, convinced them to take the horse back to Mitchell. Starting at $16, the gelding, ridden by Roly Saxton, scored an upset win in the Allan Lloyd Memorial Cup.
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Inverell Jockey Club is planning a bumper cup meeting for January 1. Owners of the winner of the $30,000 Inverell Cup (1400m) will receive a crystal trophy and a Calcutta, phantom call and seafood dinner is planned on cup eve. Trainers are also in line for a Christmas carnival premiership over the Boxing Day and New Year's Day meetings. The Goodwood Cup headlines the Boxing Day card.
TAB meetings: Sunday - Canberra. Monday - Dubbo, Port Macquarie. Tuesday - Muswellbrook. Friday - Lismore, Wagga. Saturday - Moree.
tony-white3@bigpond.com
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