WAGGA RACE PREVIEW – MONDAY FEBRUARY 16
By GRAEME WHITE
Bon Holler could be the ace card in the pack for trainer Donna Scott as some of her Country Championships contenders shape up at Wagga on Monday.
Scott has three starters in the SDRA Evergreen Turf preview over 1200 metres less than two weeks out from the big race at Wagga on February 28.
The Albury trainer has qualified for the final in the past and knows what it takes to have a horse ready at the right time.
“They are all heading for the championships along with Light Foot who won well at Albury. Villasaurus will also head that way along with Arthur The Great, Bon Holler and Warpainted who will all race at Wagga,” Scott said.
“I’m happy where they are all at. Arthur The Great has a big weight of 62 kilograms first-up, but he is a very capable horse on his day.
“Bon Holler is off a freshen up after winning her latest start in a Highway at Kembla Grange and Warpainted is capable of anything on his day.
“He also hasn’t raced since finishing behind Bon Holler last time and both have trialed since.”
As much as Scott is assembling her troops for their major target after months of planning, she knows it won’t be easy with only two spots up for grabs at Wagga and then a second chance in the Wildcard at Goulburn.
She has also seen plenty of Albury ace Autumn Break who is prepared by Kym Davison and his stablemate Canny Hell is also in contention for another challenge.
“Autumn Break is a really nice horse and he beat Bon Holler last campaign and he could make the final for sure,” she said.
“All I can do is have my horses prepared the best they can be then it comes down to luck and barrier draws on the day.
“It’s a great concept and hopefully we can qualify for a few.”
Goulburn trainer Danielle Seib also has two of her South East Country Championship runners – Master Of Disguise and Ghost Walker – lining up in Wagga.
They are also scheduled to contest the Sapphire Coast heat on Sunday, March 1 – a day after Wagga.
“Master Of Disguise is back after we took her up for a race at the Gold Coast carnival and things didn’t work out there,” she said.
“Ghost Walker has trialed since his last start and is also ready to race again and head to the Sapphire Coast and head to the Sapphire Coast after that.”
Seib has booked leading jockey Pierre Boudvillain for Master Of Disguise and Shaun Guymer for Ghost Walker after he rode the five-year-old in his recent trial.
Boudvillain leads the NSW jockey premiership after surpassing 80 winners for the season last week.
He is also the regular rider of another championships contender Sir Franklin who looked in great shape in a trial victory at Goulburn.
Sir Franklin has raced seven times for four straight seconds before completing a hat-trick of wins at his latest race start at Goulburn on August 11.
Prophet’s Daughter is another contender from Albury heading towards the Championships.
The mare hasn’t raced since winning at Wagga in May over Bon Holler and has been tuned up with two trials.
Wagga mare Dolly is also capable of figuring in the preview and is also first-up since November.
Gooloo Bucky has performed well this campaign with a win and two thirds from three starts and has the benefit of race fitness over most of his rivals.
