Featuring six qualifying heats of the Canola Cup, the meeting has benefited from the temporary cessation of racing at Bathurst.

In recent months, a number of Bathurst trainers have shunned meetings west of their home track but they have flocked to Eugowra in the hope of snapping up the spoils on offer over the rich two day carnival.

The Eugowra Club has worked very hard to make their carnival bigger and better each year and it is heartening to see that Harness Racing NSW has continued to support one of the few gems left in the sport in the immediate area.

On paper, it appears that Dubbo pacer, Karloo Ten Seventy will be the pre-post favourite for the $20,000 Canola Cup Final which will be conducted on October 6.

He returned to racing in July after a long layoff and could not have been more impressive in scoring back to back wins at Bathurst.

He then went to Menangle last month and raced outside the leader in a 2300 metre event, only to be beaten narrowly by Lettuceriprita.

The four year old, who is trained by Peter Gavin and will be driven by talented Sydney reinsman Robert Morris, will contest the Roylances and Cumulus Wines Canola Cup Heat Three (2100m).

Luksam (Brad Hewitt) has not won a race since May last year but that was at Menangle and his form surrounding that was very good.

His first up run at Bathurst on September 3 was somewhat inglorious but he was sent out as the favourite so it is likely that a big improvement will be seen here and he poses as the threat to Karloo Ten Seventy.

The first heat of the Series is sponsored by the Central Hotel and Canowindra Produce and the talented Bathurst mare, Perfectionist has drawn ideally in gate three.

She made her debut in Australia at Young in March and impressed with an easy win.

She went back to the same track and won in similar fashion before scoring at her home track of Bathurst.

She was spelled after being beaten into sixth placing during the Gold Crown Carnival and her astute trainer Nathan Hurst will have her primed for a strong first up run.

Kapow Shannon (Michael Munro) follow successive wins at Parkes and Dubbo with a close second placing at Bathurst on August 27 and he appears to be the hardest for Perfectionist to beat.

Western District Derby winner Mattjestic Star (Amanda Turnbull) hasn’t raced since taking out the classic at Dubbo on February 5 but he has drawn barrier one in the Forbes Machinery and Frank Spice Auto Heat Two of the Cup and will take some running down.

Former New Zealander Holm Three (Brad Hewitt) is the horse to watch in the Bayer sponsored Heat Four.

He won at his last outing in the Shakey Isles on August 14 and will be well supported on Sunday.

Tutu Bene Lombo is owned by the big spending HRNSW Board Member and Canola Cup sponsor Rod Smith and he will be hard to hold out in the Eat Your Greens Function Centre Heat Five.

He won at his last start before going for a spell at Bathurst on June 18 and he is above average.

Heat Six is sponsored by Nufarm and Brett Myors Plastering and bonny Cowra mare Flytomo (Shelley Crook) is dropping a long way in grade after campaigning in Sydney during her three year old season where she last won at Penrith in fast time on April 17.

She will be prominent after drawing the pole mark.

Racing gets underway at 11.55am with the running of the Jelbart Tyrepower and Kevin Miller Pace (1700m) and the supporting program will see some keenly contested racing.

Selections 

Race 1: 1.Alwaysintouch 2.Proceedwithcaution 3.Our Mannish Boy

Race 2: 1.Zirconia 2.Miss Rixon 3.Tulhurst Rex

Race 3: 1.Miss Negativity 2.Koloura Trump 3.Lucky Laag

Race 4: 1.Count Montecristo 2.Monicas Magic 3.Tulhurst Stacey

Race 5: 1.Perfectionist 2.Kapow Shannon 3.Luckyluckylucky

Race 6: 1.Mattjestic Star 2.Keep On Moving 3.Major Armbro

Race 7: 1.Zenitra Shannon 2.Chief Fairman 3.Janets Ace

Race 8: 1.Karloo Ten Seventy 2.Luksam 3.Always Over

Race 9: 1.Holm Three 2.Earl Of Huntington 3.Tulhurst Tully 

Race 10: 1.Tutu Bene Lombo 2.Kyalla Tee Jay 3.Go Lassie Go

Race 11: 1.Flytomo 2.Kenny Dee Dee 3.Yerrington Bob