KEEN punters and trainers from across the Northern Rivers will head to Grafton this month for its July racing carnival.
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It is one of the biggest country carnivals in the state with five meetings at the Clarence River Jockey Club.
![Jockeys and trainers will head to Grafton for the July carnival. Picture by Trackside Photography Jockeys and trainers will head to Grafton for the July carnival. Picture by Trackside Photography](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/PMrCA3Rpn38pKDFxaenbSb/a8a01268-9318-45b1-ae77-347b4530d70b.jpg/r0_159_2100_1340_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Ramornie and Grafton Cup usually attracts plenty of interest from Ballina, Casino and Lismore.
It all starts this weekend with the Kensei Club Community Prelude Raceday on July 7.
Northern Rivers trainers Matt Dunn and Stephen Lee have runners across the seven-race card.
Lismore trainer Owen Glue has five-year-old gelding Sheriff Cody in the Grafton Cup Prelude.
One of the two feature races on the day is the $30,000 John Carlton Quality (1175m) with the winner exempt from ballot in the $200,000 Grafton District Services Club Ramornie Handicap (1200m) on Wednesday July, 17.
And winner of the $30,000 Grafton Cup Prelude (2200m) gains automatic entry to the $200,000 Westlawn Finance Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday July 18.
The following Sunday (July 14) is Grafton Toyota South Grafton Cup Day with the highlight the $80,000 South Grafton Cup (1600m) where the victor qualifies for the $3 million Big Dance at Royal Randwick in November.
it winds down with the Maclean Cup on Sunday, July 21.
Trainers win at home
Northern Rivers trainers Daniel Bowen, Daiki Chujo and Owen Glue had wins at the Ballina Jockey Club TAB meeting on June 30.
Racing on Northern Rivers tracks has been limited this year with ongoing rain and wet weather.
Glue won a maiden while Bowen won the feature sprint race (1260m) with four-year-old mare Tectonic Plate.
Chujo had a winning double with wins in a class 1 handicap and maiden plate.
The trainers will be hoping for more success this weekend.
Chujo has high hopes for two-year-old Their Finest Hour which runs in a maiden over (1020m)
Lismore's next race day
Lismore Turf Club has its 100 Club Partners race day on Friday, July 26.
Lismore has another meeting on August 5 with racing at Casino on August 10 and Ballina August 13.
Preparations then begin for the Lismore Cup which is scheduled for Friday, September 27.
Kosciuszko sweepstakes
Tickets are on sale to share in $2 million prizemoney for The Kosciuszko sweepstakes, which is part of the world's richest race for country-trained gallopers.
NSW residents can purchase $5 sweepstakes tickets via the TAB App, tab.com.au, local pubs, clubs, TAB agencies and at Northern Rivers race meetings.
Fourteen winning tickets will be drawn on September 11 with each winner then selecting a NSW country or ACT-trained horse to race in their 'slot', once they have agreed with the horse's owner group as to how they will share prizemoney for the race.
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