THURSDAY 27 AUGUST 2026
By GRAEME WHITE
Canberra apprentice jockey Erin Wllison can add to her impressive statistics since commencing her career with Laurel Hill in the Elders Rural Services Wagga Ian Reid Sprint (1200m) on Thursday.
Ellison has already ridden four winners from just 18 rides and only needs one more victory to reduce her allowance to three kilograms.
Her master Rob Potter is understandably pleased with the start Ellison has made after winning et her very first race ride aboard his galloper, Space Alley.
“Erin has already ridden four winners and three of those have been for me from eight rides for my stable,” he said.
“It’s a perfect race for Laurel Hill – 1200 metres, heavy track and she is well placed with 56.5 kilograms.
“She rides Laurel Hill in all of her work and understand her well. She will get back and be running on strongly like she always does.”
Potter elected to scratch Laurel Hill from Canterbury on Wednesday for the feature country race which honours the long serving secretary of the Southern District Racing Association.
Laurel Hill ($7.50 NSW TAB) ran fifth at her latest start in Sydney and was also a winner at Canterbury this campaign.
She only needs to run in the top three to surpass $300,000 in earnings for her owners – the Groves family of Tumut who also bred her.
The favourite Canny Hell has a touch of class on his side and will be having his first race start since finishing second in the Corowa
The six-year-old won a trial at Albury by almost six lengths on August 18nproving he is ready to go and add to his first-up record of two wins from five attempts fresh.
Canny Hell won the 2025 SDRA Country Championships qualifier at Wagga and ran eighth in the same race 12 months later in February.
Albury trainer Kym Davison and his owners lost The Kosciusko second favourite Autumn Break to a tendon injury this week.
A win by Canny Hell, who is related to Autumn Break, could put him on a path to The Kosciusko.
“The owners have bought a lot of tickets in the draw and if they happened to get one Canny Hell would be their choice now that Autumn Break is out,” he said.
“His trial was terrific and I expect him to be hard to beat.”
Canny Hell ($3.60 fav) is one of two strong winning hopes for Davison with Desert Opal ($5.50) chasing three straight wins in the Astor Hotel & Bar Benchmark 58 (1600m).
The topweight Sacred Mistress could be the surprise packet at her third run back from a spell with a light weight on her back after the claim for Ellison.
Stablemate Royaltown is also expected to be prominent along with last start winner Blow On The Dice.
Wagga’s track is rated as a heavy ten after further rain on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.