Classy line-up for Sunday's Carnival of Cups

Officials of the Forbes Diggers Harness Racing Club could not be any happier with the classy line up of pacers that have accepted for their feature meeting of the year, the Carnival of Cups this Sunday afternoon.

The $12,000 Forbes Services Memorial Club Final (2060m) has top billing and is certain to provide an action-packed affair, following three keenly contested qualifying heats that were conducted on Anzac Day.

The most impressive of the heat winners was Coleambally trained gelding Abitmorebliss (Jackson Painting) which led throughout and fought on stoutly in a driving finish.

That was the five-year-old's third win on the trot. On Anzac Day, Painting let Abitmorebliss run and he posted a very fast 1.59.8 which was clearly the fastest time of the heat winners.

Equally as impressive was the runner up Carramar Times Up (Nathan Turnbull) who did a ton of work in the run after circling the field from her second line draw and then sitting outside the leader.

Turnbull worked the leader over a long way from home and Carramar Times Up was brave in only going down by a short half head.

But again, the draw is against the Bathurst mare and she will have to reproduce the effort if she is going to come out on top of Abitmorebliss which has a favourable barrier four draw.

Walk On Kimmy (Emma Turnbull) led up in her heat win and has again drawn to be in the firing line from barrier two while the other heat winner, Grinorama (Matt Robb) will need plenty of luck after drawing poorly in barrier ten.

The Tab.Com.Au Pace (2060m) will open the day's racing at 12.52pm and is for the three-year-olds.

Gemma and Mat Rue have a soft spot for the gelding Kash Us Back whom they saved as a foal and they will be hoping that he can continue his current rich vein of form this afternoon.

A recent win at Bathurst was bookended by second placings at Albion Park and at his home track.

Josh Turnbull will be chasing a race to race double early in the afternoon.

Hit The Track will contest the Forbes Livestock & Walkers Agnvet Pace (1680m) and will be driven by Nathan Turnbull.

The three-year-old gelding has been racing in much stronger company than what he is meeting on Sunday and was a winner of the Gold Chalice Consolation at Bathurst on Gold Crown night.

Turnbull's second winning chance is Lucky Lyla in the Kevin and Kay Seymour Ladyship Pace (2060m).

The mare has drawn awkwardly on the inside of the second row and talented Queensland driver, Isobel Ross will have to use all her skill to overcome the adversity.

She was a Parkes winner back on April 3 and has since ran a close third at Bathurst.

Im All Courage (John O'Shea) which is part owned by Forbes couple Rod and Debbie Wenning is a consistent mare that has been placed at Bathurst and Bankstown during April and she will be hard to beat in the small eight horse field.

Eugowra pacer, Nicopolis will be chasing a spot in the $13,500 Dubbo Golden Gig Series Final to be held later this month.

Forbes Shire Council sponsor the qualifier on Sunday and the Grant Jones trained gelding looks well placed in barrier three.

He appeared set to figure in the finish when he broke stride at the 400 metres mark at West Wyalong last Sunday.

He was most impressive in winning at Wagga on March 22 and followed that with a placing there and at Parkes.

Lovin Everyday (James Sutton) is a model of consistency having won two and being placed on nine occasions from 13 runs this season.

She is the definite danger to Nicopolis with the other chances drawn less favourably on the second row.

The Club Menangle Where Horses Fly Heat (1680m) has been flooded with Bathurst trained horses with no less than eight of the ten runners coming from there.

Sams Express (John O'Shea) has his hoof right on the till after running two luckless seconds at Dubbo in the heat and final of the Easter Series.

On both occasions he was held up for a run at vital stages and was undoubtedly a certainty beaten.

Tough pacer Young Cambo (Emma Turnbull) followed a win at Young with two strong efforts at Menangle where he finished fourth and third respectively.

A very evenly graded field will contest the Ted Clifford Memorial (2060m) with recent winners, Cobbity Chic (Bernie Hewitt), Abercrombie Tab (Will Rixon) and Michaels Desire (Mitch Turnbull) heading up the many chances in the race.

Leading trainer, Steve Turnbull only has one runner engaged at the meeting and it is Maximus Red who will line up for him in the final event of the day, the Club Menangle Country Series Heat (1680m).

Turnbull loves to compete in these rich country series and Maximus Red will be hard to beat here.

He ran second at Menangle on April 13 and followed that with a second at West Wyalong before finding the Cup Final there a little out of his reach.

The Bernie Hewitt pair of Ima Black Beauty (Mat Rue) and Brads Luck (Bernie) both have plenty of ability and have drawn nicely on the front row, ensuring that they will race up close throughout.

Michael Dumesny selects:

Race 1: 1.Kash Us Back 2.Gabbys Sportstar 3.Mammals Riddle 4.Kaybee Stars

Race 2: 1.Hit The Track 2.Juleenjode 3.We Salute You 4.Crazy In Love

Race 3: 1.Lucky Lyla 2.Im All Courage 3.Dot Ayou 4.Ichiba Newy

Race 4: 1.Nicopolis 2.Lovin Everyday 3.Remember Bubbles 4.Monterei Duke

Race 5: 1.Abitmorebliss 2.Carramar Times Up 3.Walk On Kimmy 4.Dunno Jo

Race 6: 1.Sams Express 2.Young Cambo 3.Charlevoix 4.Bobby Street

Race 7: 1.Cobbity Chic 2.Abercrombie Tab 3.Michaels Desire 4.Bustling Barney

Race 8: 1.Maximus Red 2.Ima Black Beauty 3.Brads Luck 4.Shannonstheman

By Craig Dumesny