IT hasn’t always been smooth sailing in 2014 for the Bathurst Thoroughbred Racing Club, but if nominations are anything to go by ahead of Friday’s Soldier’s Saddle meeting, their troubles are behind them.

After nominations were announced yesterday morning, the news was good for the club with huge interest shown in each of the seven races, including a massive 25 potential starters for the main event.

The $25,000 Soldier’s Saddle (1400 metres) has attracted interest from Sydney as well as across the Central West. Provided they can make the final cut, there should be a strong Bathurst representation in the field as well.

Seven Bathurst-based horses are among the 25 nominated, with two each from the Paul Theobald and Peter Stanley stables, plus entries from Dean Mirfin, Kevin Higgins and Shane Cunynghame.

“It has been an incredible response,” BTRC general manager Michelle Tarpenning said.

“This is all about the quality of the track at the moment, it is a dead-four and in absolutely perfect condition and the nominations reflect that.

“We’ve had our ups and downs this year but there is no better way to prove that everything is in order than to present the track the way it is at the moment and to host a big meeting this Friday.”

In a further boost for the club and what is easily their biggest meeting of the year, the weather forecast is for relatively fine and reasonably warm conditions.

While the Bathurst contingent looks strong through the likes of last-start winner Carinda Girl and All Sixes for Theobald plus Higgins’ Supreme Laird who has won or placed at his last eight runs outside of Sydney, there is some quality on the way.

Matthew Smith’s Hot Pistol looks to be a star in the making having run second and won twice in his three career outings so far.

That included a last-start win at the Bathurst track.

Barbara Joseph and Paul Jones have three-year-old gelding Chasing Charlie coming off consecutive wins also and should be a major contender if they accept.

Last year’s winning trainer Brian Buckley will not be trying to replicate Fusakeo’s 2013 victory. He did not nominate a runner.

“All Sixes ran in Mudgee on Sunday and pulled up a treat, so she should run well, and Carinda Girl is nominated as well and has been racing nicely,” Theobald explained.

Across the other six races, all of them have attracted at least 14 nominations, with 20 listed initially for the Benchmark 60 Handicap (1,100m) which looks like the major support event to the saddle itself.

“We’re going all-out to make this a big day, we’re expecting in excess of 4,000 people which was what we got last year,” Tarpenning said.

“We will have improved bar facilities to make sure there aren’t big queues for everyone, we’ve got Kaylee Bell and Mickey Pye supplying entertainment, fashions on the field as always, and two-up games as well.”