MALLAWA Picnic Race Club on Monday received 67 entries for its huge six-race card on Saturday – round two of bush racing’s Golden Triangle – and Dubbo trainer Connie Greig dominates the 1400m Mallawa Cup with four nominations.

The feature race, first held in 1930 and this year worth $12,000, has drawn a staggering 18 nominations.

Greig, with runners at Moree today, has four horses nominated – Benyatta, last-start Cobar winner Blackhill Kitty, Celtic Harp and prolific old gelding Pahang, a winner of 14 races including two of his past four.

It will be another busy week for Greig, who has dominated the New South Wales picnic racing circuit in recent years.

Greig starts Laisvas and Ask the Question at Moree today and also has runners nominated for Dubbo Friday.

She also has Benyatta nominated for two races at Parkes on Saturday.

Missing from the jockeys’ room on Saturday will be Greig’s No.1 picnics’ rider Leandro Ribeiro, who was handed a three-week suspension at the Moree meeting after pleading guilty to a careless riding charge.

Ribeiro is permitted to resume riding on June 15 and will take rides for the June 21 Talmoi meeting.

Mallawa Cup nominations include recent Gunnedah Cup place-getter Smart Shot from the Cody Morgan yard and Jane Clement’s Moree picnics Boolooroo Cup winner, Awesome Tycoon.

Trainer Connie Greig and leading picnic rider Leandro Ribeiro at Moree picnics races on May 24. Greig dominates the Mallawa meeting with multiple nominations. However, Ribeiro will be absent after incurring a three-week suspension at Moree.

Also in the mix are Kelly Smith’s stablemates Peak Road and Ringside, and three-year-old Thiem, trained at Beaudesert by Jimmy Downes.

Peak Road won last year’s Boolooroo Cup at Moree, when trained by Peter Sinclair, and Ringside won the Talmoi Cup in 2023.

The Mallawa Bracelet has drawn 10 nominations, including Greig’s Line of Law, runner-up to stablemate I’m Scarlett in the Moree Bracelet on May 24.

Line of Law is also nominated for the 1000m class 2 handicap.

Also in the Mallawa Bracelet mix is Greig’s 12-year-old gelding Billy Bent Ear, a winner of 19 races from 166 starts.

The 1200m class 3 handicap has 13 nominations, including Wayne Oakenfull’s Picador, a gelding new to the area with an ownership group closely tied to racing on the Golden Triangle.

Mallawa’s Peter Taunton shares ownership with Moree’s Charlie Bunce, David Manchee, Margie Boland and Eric Carrigan as well as Mallawa old-boy Henry Moses.

Also in the group is Garah’s Cedda O’Neill, Jock Hunter and Geoff Hunter as well as Prue Hunt, wife of Mallawa committee member Geoff Hunt.

Picador came from a long way back to finish third behind War Toy and Showtime Sassy at Moree picnics and the long straight at Mallawa will suit perfectly.

A special race-day bus will leave the Royal Hotel in Moree at 11am and depart the racecourse at around 6pm.

There will be a barbeque picnic lunch, fully licensed bar, ATM on course and live music with SAX Appeal from 6pm.

Night function tickets for members and guests are available at Pitman Deakin on Balo Street in Moree.

Online race-day ticket options available here: Mallawa 2025 Race-Day Tix.

Weights for Mallawa picnic races will be released today, June 3, with final fields declared at 9am, Thursday, June 5.

Major sponsors include B&W Rural, Kenway and Clark, Air Cair Aviation, Nutrien Ag Solutions, RDO Equipment, Titan Ag Crop Protection, Badengi Engineering, Irritek, Entegra Signature Structures, Australian Food & Fibre, Namoi Cotton, Girard Grader Hire, Wathagar Ginning Company, Boland Petroleum, MHVP Pty Ltd, LiuGong and McGregor Gourlay Agricultural Services.

Talmoi picnic races round out bush racing’s Golden Triangle on Saturday, June 21.

The six-race card features the 1400m Talmoi Cup, won last year by Hardyo, and the 1000m Talmoi Bracelet. Total Prize money is $38,000.

Mallawa Picnic Races

When: Saturday, June 7, 2025

Where: Mallawa racecourse

Time: From about 11am

Ticket options: Mallawa 2025 Race-Day Tix

Night function tickets: Pitman Deakin on Balo Street

After-party entertainment: SAX Appeal