26 October 2017 | Trots Media – Michael Howard
An outstanding field will amass at the gates for Sunday’s flagship Maryborough trots race, with all but three of the combatants having won an elite Group race.
Group 1 winners My Field Marshall, Milly Perez and Burnaholeinmypocket headline a stunning line-up for the Avoca-Maryborough Community Bank Branches Maryborough Gold Cup, which is flush with talent.
Veteran reinsman Gavin Lang, who will steer Thereal Usain Colt from the pole mark, said it was “an amazing field”.
“There is some great depth in that race,” said Lang, who is only the second driver in the Southern Hemisphere to have steered more than 6000 winners.
“In years gone by the honour roll (of Maryborough Cup winners) shows some very good horses have won that race and this year’s will be a great addition.”
Fuelling the extraordinary field is not only the race’s prestige, its $30,000 prize and Group 3 status but also the fact it’s come on the back of the Allied Express Victoria, which year this was transferred from January’s Summer Of Glory to October 14.
Five Victoria Cup combatants will step out in Sunday’s Gold Cup, including rising star San Carlo who will start from gate two and was a listed a $2.40 favourite for the Maryborough feature in TAB.com.au early betting.
San Carlo has drawn directly outside Lang’s hope, Thereal Usain Colt who only on Saturday night ran third in the Swan Hill Pacing Cup and is expected to take great improvement from that outing.
Swan Hill, the first of the Trots Country Cups Championship season’s 25 crowns, was Thereal Usain Colt’s first hit-out on Australian soil and in David Aiken’s camp, the latter the trainer of the two-time Victorian Horse of the Year Lennytheshark.
First up since making the trip across the Tasman, Lang said his third placing at Swan Hill – where he led before fading late – was a promising performance.
“His run was OK, he got a bit tired in the last 100m, which I glean from the camp was to be expected,” Lang said.
“He has been with the team for not even a month and had no trial, so I’m expecting a fair bit of improvement.”
The nine-race card also features the Seelite Windows & Doors Maryborough Trotters Cup, with a handicapped second line that boasts a particularly strong trio in My Tribeca, Sparking Success and Clover Mac.
My Tribeca is Anton Golino’s mercurial mare and her trainer is hopeful this season may just be her coming out party.
“When right she is really good, she just seems to find some new tricks,” Golino said. “She is very talented, it is just whether she puts it all together.
“She’s six months behind in age and that’s why I haven’t really wound her right up. This year she’s starting to grow up physically and seems in a good spot.”
Media enquiries:
Michael Howard (HRV Media/Communications Co-Ordinator)
t: 03 8378 0286 | e: mhoward@hrv.org.au | tw: @MichaelRHoward
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