Although Fabri has coached a winner at every New South Wales Gift and even the Stawell Gift, the Queanbeyan event has eluded him thus far.

“The Queanbeyan Gift is a very difficult Gift to win,” Fabri said. “The quality of athletes that come there are usually of the highest calibre.

“It is the most prestigious race on the New South Wales calendar at the moment.”

Steve Blacker, Michael Dotti and Jack D’Arcy form part of the contingent of 15 athletes that the Sydney-based sprint coach is bringing to Queanbeyan to compete in the centrepiece 120m handicap event.

The trio all made the final of the Macksville Gift last fortnight but face stiff competition from last year's Queanbeyan Gift winner Aarons Stubbs and teenager Michael Hanna who beat the trio to claim the Macksville Gift.

With plenty of form sprinters in the field, this year’s Queanbeyan Gift has been labelled as the most open race since 2000.

“I do agree with that,” Fabri said. “I’ve supported the Gift since its inception and there certainly have been some very dominated races but this year it seems very open.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if quite a number of these athletes had some very strong winning chances coming into the race.”

The women’s 120m handicap event is headlined by previous winner Lauren Wells, who represented Australia in the Rio Olympics, but fellow Olympian Melissa Breen has opted to not compete.

With over $32,000 total prize money up for grabs, it is no wonder that the Gift generates enthusiasm among athletes and coaches alike.

“Obviously, money has got an influence,” Fabri said.

“But I have to be honest, the organisers and the council do such a great job in preparation of the field -  certainly the whole day has a multitude of events that goes along with it – and the crowd in Queanbeyan and the facilitating areas really come up and support it, the whole community gets behind it.

“It seems to be our equivalent of the Stawell Gift in Victoria. Certainly, in athletic terms, it’s a nice Gift to have on your resume.”