TWO major players have been ruled out of this year's Regional Championships under controversial circumstances.
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Albury trainer James McPherson has had his two representatives in this year's Regional Championships scratched by order of the stewards.
Both El Camino and Bettors Hope have been removed from the Riverina heats of the series, that will be conducted at Riverina Paceway on Tuesday night.
The Daily Advertiser understands that McPherson has been stood down but Harness Racing NSW's integrity department could only confirm their involvement in the scratchings on Monday.
"I don't really have a lot of information other than they've been scratched by order of stewards," a HRNSW representative said on Monday.
El Camino, a talented four-year-old, would have started as one of the favourites for the Riverina division and loomed as one of the horses to beat in the third and final heat on Tuesday night.
The four-year-old entire had drawn the inside of the second row and had won four straight before his last-start failure in the semi-finals of the NSW Breeders Crown 3YO Colts and Geldings series.
He'd tuned up for the series with a 12-metre trial win at Coolamon on April 28.
Bettors Hope had drawn the outside of the front row in the second heat but produced a last-start second placing at Melton in the lead-up to the series.
Both pacers are raced by Johnny Star Racing. McPherson's father, Scott, is also in the ownership of El Camino.
The first of the three heats will take place at 6.16pm at Riverina Paceway on Tuesday night.
Each of the three heats on Tuesday night are worth $14,500, with the $100,000 final to be held at Riverina Paceway on Friday week, May 17.
The first two horses home in the Riverina series qualify for the $100,000 state final at Menangle on May 25.
