By Chris Roots
Hall of Fame jockey Jim Cassidy will lead the celebrations in Bathurst when the central-west town holds its richest meeting, featuring the Bathurst Cup, on Friday.
The club will honour legends to have come from the area, from 1866 Melbourne Cup winner The Barb to Tulloch, which was owned by Bathurst family the Halleys, to Bill Aspros and Winx's jockey Hugh Bowman as part of the day.
"It is the biggest prizemoney ever on offer at the Tyers Park track," Bathurst general manager Michelle Tarpenning said. "It is the sixth year of the cup meeting in this form where we want to show the rich history of racing from Bathurst and the surrounding areas.
"Jim Cassidy is our main guest for the day this year, which we call legends day."
Guest of honour: Jim Cassidy.Credit: Getty Images
The showcase meeting also has races named in honour of Cox Plate winner Rising Prince and Gold Circle, which is arguably the best Bathurst Cup winner. He won the 1980 cup in course-record time before coming to Sydney and winning the 1981 Epsom Handicap.
Winning can have its down side
Grafton trainer Greg Kilner is in a catch-22 situation as he heads to Ballina with smart filly Charlee Bear with regard to the Country Championships.
Charlee Bear has won five of her nine starts, meaning a win would make her ineligible for the Northern Rivers Country Championships heat on her home track in three weeks.
"Because she has been so good early in her career she has become hard to place as a three-year-old," Kilner said. "She is a very nice filly and there are a few options for her, but the Country Championship will be out if she wins on Sunday.
"There are a couple of good races coming up for her and we are looking at the Queen Of The North at Port [Macquarie on February 3], which is worth $70,000 as well.
"She gets into the race with a nice weight on Sunday, taking on the older horses and will run well and then we will decide where to go."
Race diary
Monday: Port Macquarie, Sapphire Coast. Tuesday: Armidale. Thursday: Wagga. Friday: Bathurst, Tamworth. Saturday: Bingara, Geurie, Queanbeyan.
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