In recent years the Bundara races have established a big following on the Saturday of the long weekend which also sees the running of the feature Sydney races of the Spring, the Epsom and Metropolitan Handicaps at Royal Randwick.

This year the Bundara races are the first meeting in a series of races run by the smaller clubs over the summer with the Picone Family sponsoring the Summer Stars Bonus for the leading horse, trainer and jockey over the summer.

Saturday’s meeting has 63 early nominations with a pleasing 13 in the $8000 Bundara Cup. 

The nominations include the Karen Fox trained Sambora, a noted “tight track” specialist with wins in the 2015 Deepwater Cup and completing the 2014 and 2015 Barraba Cup double last start.  

White Stocking is nominated to back up after running at Wellington on Sunday and is the winner of the Narrabri Cup and the $20,000 feature sprint at Coonamble last year.

Inverell trainer Bill Perrett has nominated last start Barraba winner Just Elusive for the 1000 metre Benchmark 50 Handicap where he is likely to meet other Inverell trained runners John McLachlan’s Modest Option and Todd Payne’s Uno Joker.

Young trainer Theresa Lennon will be looking to continue the fairy tale start to her new training career with Smart Bet in the 1700 metre handicap. Lennon, who had her first runner in July and only has a stable of three horses this month saddled up Dance Chelle to win at Grafton and the next day took Smart Bet to Moree and again was in the winner’s circle.

Smart Bet will met two runners that will appreciate the comparatively lush spring conditions at Bundara in Kevin Dixon’s Emotional Outburst and Sheree McEwan’s Toucan Ukulele. Both horses are returning from dusty campaigns in outback Queensland with recent starts at iconic tracks such as Birdsville Betoota and Morven.

The nominations include several from Queensland trainers with McEwan from Goondiwindi  having five runners and John Smith from Toowoomba nominating three including Brubaker  that won the Maiden race at Inverell’s August meeting.

Inverell Bus Service are running a race day bus to Bundarra leaving the Tourist Centre at mid-day and Tingha at 12.20pm with bookings essential by phoning Inverell Bus Service on 6722 3598.