TURF
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
FORMER Tamworth Cup winning Universal Belief might be headed to Tamworth a little earlier this year.
The Jim Delaney-trained eight-year-old, who won the 2012 Tamworth Cup and returned to run second to Prussian Secret in last year’s Cup, was on his way to Warwick Farm yesterday where he was unplaced to the Pat Farrell-trained Fort Sumter in the final race of the day.
The gelding, winner of 13 of his 47 starts, will back up on Tuesday, Delaney said.
His gelding has been working well and he expected him to race well in Sydney but will have a quick back-up into Tuesday’s $15,000 Tamworth Cup Prelude (1400m).
His other stable star, sprinter Floral Insight, is also in Brisbane ready to run on Saturday.
Both have won more than $200,000 prizemoney for the Taree-based trainer who is originally from Muswellbrook.
Universal Belief was one of 16 nominations for Tuesday’s Tamworth Cup Prelude yesterday.
He is also joined in the $200,000 club by Scone mare Oh My Papa.
The Greg Bennett-trained six-year-old cracked the $200,000 prizemoney barrier last start when a good winner at Newcastle.
Tamworth Jockey Club operations manager, Victoria Toy, was delighted with the 156 nominations.
“We’ll have good fields in both preludes,” Toy told The Leader.
“The nominations are good and indicate we’ll have a very good class of horse for both the Cup and Mornington (April 27). “We’ve got some nice local horses in there and we appreciate the support we get from them as well as all the travelling trainers.”
Tuesday’s Cup Prelude drew a variety of gallopers including the Luke Griffith-trained pair Akamas and Double Halo.
Akamas is also nominated for Brisbane on Saturday.
Female trainers Sue Grills and Gayna Williams have also nominated two apiece for the Prelude.
Grills has last start winner Keep It Danish and Zenit entered while Bathurst-based Williams has Landuncan and Reece.
The Mornington Prelude received 10 nominations for Tuesday and has been extended until 11am today.
“The Mornington field is always smaller than the other races,” Toy said of the 2100m support feature.
“But it will be a good race again. And we have had excellent nom for all the other races.”
She said the rail will be “out” for Tuesday’s prelude meeting but returning to its normal true position for the Sunday, April 27 Cup meeting.
o The Cup Calcutta will also be held in the new John Clift Room at the TJC on Saturday night, April 26 with Joe Janiak as the special guest.
Janiak’s fairy tale sprinter, Takeover Target, is also coming with his trainer/owner and will be paraded on Cup day.
TAMWORTH CUP PRELUDE NOMS
Tuesday, April 15 - 1400m
Akamas (Luke Griffith ) 77, Clunes Rocket (Grant Prosser) 65, Double Halo (Luke Griffith) 79, Fox Solid (Garry McCarney) 82, Keep It Danish (Sue Grills) 74, Knot Out (Paul Messara) 73, Landuncan (Gayna Williams) 70, Memphis Mafia (Lesley Jeffriess) 57, Mossamine (Clint Lundholm) 78, Oh My Papa (Greg Bennett) 70, Reece (Gayna Williams) 76, Rocky Dancer (Colin Fields), Stromaise (Jim Litt) 48, Universal Belief (Jim Delaney) 80, Velocity Gal (Ruth Cooper) 62, Zenit (Sue Grills) 53.
MORNINGTON PRELUDE
Tuesday, April 15 - 2100m
Nominations extended until 11am today: Circle Of Fame (Ruth Cooper), Coco Dubawi (Ruth Cooper), Dimensional (Michelle Fleming) 44, Dollar Dan (Craig Martin) 64, Duelling Goddess (Joanna Methven) 45, Dusty’s Felt (Paul Grills) 73, Kastelos (Jenny Graham) 63, Kwilas Law (Luke Griffith) 70, Maughan (Paul Berrigan) 61, Sambora (Karen Fox) 65.