WAGGA RACE PREVIEW – SUNDAY APRIL 19
By GRAEME WHITE
Gundagai Cup the Murrumbidgee Cup then into the Wagga Cup is the hope and dreams for the connections of Quamby on Sunday.
Quamby took out the Gundagai Cup last Sunday at odds of $21 and is listed as a $19 chance with the NSW TAB for the Murrumbidgee Cup – one of four prelude exempt races.
There will also be preludes held for the Town Plate, Guineas and Queen Of The South where the winners gain automatic entry into the feature races on April 30 and May 1.
Wodonga traner Sylvia Thompson feels Quamby is in peak form for the Kooringal Stud Murrumidgee Cup (1800m) after jockey Brendan Ward guided the six-year-old to a half length victory at Gundagai
“These races were always the plan. He had to trial after things went amiss at Yarra Valley and I was pleased to see him win the way he did,” Thompson said.
“He goes better the NSW way of racing as his form shows. He ran a close second in the Tom Patton Cup at Wagga at his previous start at Wagga.
“His owners John and Helen McPhee have raced many top horses and I was pleased to see them make it to Gundagai for the win
“The horse couldn’t have finished off any better than he did and he is right as I can have him for Wagga.”
The favourite Villasaurus ($4.60) has raced five times at Wagga for three wins and two placings which include victory in the SDRA Country Championships.
The five-year-old finished sixth in the $1 million final behind Chidiac beaten only four lengths with regular jockey Blaike McDougall in the saddle.
“The Country Championships form is strong and his record at Wagga is terrific,” trainer Donna Scott said.
There is no shortage of depth in the Murrumbidgee Cup with the top weight Cosmic Lad coming off a last start victory at Newcastle.
Hiis record over 1800 metres is also strong with a win and a second from two attempts.
Bellestic Kids has been close up in recent starts and finished fourth behind Quamby at Gundagai.
Blacklist is prepared by Mack Griffith at Mudgee who returns to Wagga for the first time since taking out the Wagga Town Plate almost 12 months ago.
Winning Point was cut out at a vital stag when looming to be in the finish last time out at Wagga behind Sea Strike who is also a contender on Sunday.
Samurai ran third in the Gundagai Cup and will also back-up.
Meanwhile, the addition of blinkers may give Teylu the edge in the Kooringal Stud Wagga Town Plate [prelude (1200m).
Teylu ($4.80 NSW TAB) was having his first start for three months when second at Canberra two weeks ago.
“We feel he needs the blinkers to make him want to race right past the others,” trainer Gratz Vella said.
“I think they will make a big difference.”
One Hard Lady is the $3.30 favourite and provides Scott with strong winning hopes in the two feature races.
Victorian galloper Ole Daze is the favourite at $3.80 for the Guineas prelude and Brutal Belle the $4 popular elect in the Queen Of The South prelude.
