HE hasn’t had a starter this season but Bigga shearer Dennis Picker will be back with a bang at Temora’s TAB.COM.AU Carnival of Cups meeting on Saturday night.
Having just celebrated his 31st Birthday, Picker is hoping the celebrations continue with his two-pronged attack in the feature on the program – the Temora Pacers Cup (2360m).
Picker has Onlykidding and Fioki engaged with both horses drawing on the second row in barriers 10 and 11 respectively.
“I took both horses up to Queensland during the winter they only came back three weeks ago,” Picker said.
“I left them up there with Grant Dixon and he did a great job with them and they both looked a million dollars when they arrived.
“They have both been working well at home since but are just faced with tough draws being on their country mark.”
Picker’s mare Onlykidding, which he is driving, is marginally in front of her stablemate in the TAB Fixed Odds market at a generous $15 while Fioki, which will be driven by Anthony Frisby, is currently $16.
The $2.60 favourite is Sydneysider Franco Tariq.
Trained by Alex Alchin, who grew up in Temora, the fancy has drawn well in barrier two while the second favourite Parramatta ($2.80) has drawn barrier five.
Picker has not raced a horse nor driven in a race since July last year.
His last starter as a trainer was his talented pacer Condagen who is also nearing a racetrack return.
“Saturday night will be the first time in a while that we’ve been to the races so I’m looking forward to it,” Picker said.
“Condagen is only a few weeks away as well and hopefully we can keep looking at these country cup races with him and Fioki and Onlykidding.
“Condagen’s owner Pat (Bourke) passed away not that long ago so it will be nice to get the horse up and going well in his honour.”
Picker is on the verge of training 200 winners with 193 wins to his credit out of 1546 starters.
As a driver he has steered home 181 winners in 1611 drives.
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