A good track and strong nominations will be highlights of the $72,000 ProTen TC Lee Memorial meeting at Narrandera on Saturday.

Race day manager Michael Bailey has tipped the six-race program expanding to seven with more than 121 nominations received on Monday, and acceptances to be declared tomorrow (Thursday).

The track was rated as a soft 6 on Monday when other NSW tracks were heavily affected by the weekend downpours.

“We are very happy with the number of nominations – there is only one race with 12 horses and the rest have 18 to 30 horses,” Mr Bailey said.

“There is a chance we may have seven races.

“The track needed a good water after last meeting and the rain saved us putting on the sprinkler system.

“Most of the tracks on the south coast were flooded out while Wagga was a 10 plus so Narrandera will have one of the better tracks coming up this weekend.”

Mr Bailey said renowned Canberra trainer Frank Cleary has two nominations in Faolan and Dalkey Point.

Trainers are coming from Canberra, Wagga, Albury, Jerilderie, Corowa, Griffith and Leeton.

Corowa trainer Rick Freyer has his most horses nominated ever for Narrandera in Riverina Boy, Blazing Engine, Miqyaas, Pacific Tycoon, One Fine Dane and Lord Cedrick.

Pacific Tycoon won at Narrandera on July 19 in the Benchmark 58 1400m, and may return to the track in the feature race, the ProTen TC Lee Memorial Cup Benchmark 58 handicap over 1400m.

“In the old days, it was a real competition between Rick’s father Richard and Peter Clancy who would win the most races at Narrandera,” Mr Bailey said.

The Leeton Toyota Benchmark 58 handicap sprint over 1000m has drawn nominations from 10 trainers from Canberra including Nick Olive, Norm Gardner, Mark Gee, Luke Pepper, Scott Collings and Matthew Dale.

The ProTen TC Lee Memorial has drawn Canberra trainers Doug Gorrel, John Rolfe, and Todd Smart, Russell Hogan, Griffith, Peter Clancy, Leeton, Frank Cleary, Griffith, Wayne Carroll, Wagga, Scott Spackman, Wagga, Kerry Weir, Tumut, Emma and Lucy Longmire, Goulburn, and Phil Sweeney, Jerilderie.

Another horse to watch is the Peter Clancy trained Crimson Hoffa which won on his home track on July 27 and was second at Narrandera on July 19 to Pacific Tycoon.

Mr Bailey said due to the COVID-19 restrictions, there would be owner’s entry only to the course.

“Under the Racing NSW rules, registered owners only can be admitted to the track upon producing documentation, and are allowed to attend 30 minutes before and after the race.

“Spouses and family of owners are not allowed to attend.

“Anybody who is a member of Narrandera for this racing season will automatically have their membership renewed for the 2021 racing season, so they will not receive any invoice.”

The meeting will be TAB and Sky Channel linked with the first race due to start at 12.30pm.

“The restrictions on coming to the races is purely for the area of the racetrack for officials, race club workers and owners, but there are areas of the racecourse reserve where the public can watch the races from,” Mr Bailey said.

“There are good views of the racing from the Narrandera Pony Club grounds, the gun club area or the Barellan road.

“People can bring their picnic lunch and binoculars to enjoy the racing from a different angle.

“There is a great view of the start of the 1600m from the gun club.

“Otherwise people can watch the races at the Exies, Bidgee and Charles Sturt – we thank them for their ongoing support along with Leeton Toyota, ProTen, Bendigo Bank, Narrandera Argus and Process Printers.

“It has been a tough year but people have stuck by us, and we have put our hand up for extra meetings after this one for COVID or wet track reasons.

“I don’t want to see any local clubs around us miss out on their meetings as it is a lot of hard work in a race club but from a holistic point of view, we have picked up the slack from Corowa, Albury and Wagga.

“It’s an opportunity and our club is willing to take it on.”