The Ladbrokes Temora Cup has become an institution every March in the Riverina, and trainers from far and wide make the trek to compete in the feature event.

In 2020, a bout of the flu stopped trainer Dennis Barnes travelling from Cudal in the Central West to Temora, but he watched on television as his Bathurst Cup winner Nangar Diva added another piece of silverware to the trophy cabinet with a brilliant win.

Nangar Diva was Barnes' second win in the Temora Cup, having taken out the event in 2015 with All Too Fancy.

In 2021 Jodie and Andy Lord supplied five of the eight finalists for the Cup, and while four of them missed a place, their dog Mr Ticket arrived just in time to grab the leader Speaking Spanish and give the Lords their third Temora Cup, and their first in 19 years.

The Lords were back for another tilt at the Temora Cup in 2022, and all eyes were on their latest star She's A Pearl, a recent addition to the camp.

But it was anything but a one-dog race, with Victorian star Ferdinand Boy, and Bulli Cup winner Castle Warrior both impressive in their heats.

Castle Warrior led like he did at Bulli, but She's A Pearl moved into second and swinging for home powered alongside the leader then raced away for an impressive win, and Cup number four for the Lords.

They say good dogs win Cups, but great ones defend them and that's exactly what She's A Pearl did in 2023 when saluting in the big Temora feature for the second straight year.

The champ went under in her heat to Victorian sprinter Salad Dodger, but turned the tables on the Anthony Azzopardi chaser in the final, winning by two lengths in a time of 25.38 - a new track record over the Temora 457m.

In 2024, Nangar Jim speared to the front from box 6 and the result was never in doubt as he raced away for a 3½ length win over Overflow Beau in 25.56s, with Victorian Tattooed a further half-length away in third.

“He's easily the best dog I’ve had. The other dogs, no disrespect to them because they punched well above their weights to get into the finals that they got into, and I think we made 10 Group finals last year. But he's the first genuine Group class dog I have had."

“With the other dogs you'd make a final and you will just sort of be hoping. With him it doesn't really matter what he's in because of his racing traits, you know you're a chance. If you can lead - and that’s his best asset and normally what he does - you’re going to be a chance in whatever you go around in.”