DEVILGATE Road might be the toughest and best horse in today’s $30,000 Elders 130th Walcha Cup (1440m) but the Craig Martin-trained gelding has a big weight and a new jockey.
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Martin Haley will ride the Tamworth-trained gelding, who has won six of his last eight races, including a last-start Gilgandra Cup win over 1600m on a tight saucer track.
“I don’t know him,” Martin admitted.
“I didn’t have anyone to ride him. Eleanor wasn’t going to come all this way for one ride.”
Eleanor is Eleanor Webster-Hawes. She won the Gilgandra Cup on him with a perfectly-judged ride of a horse who excels in tough races.
“He’s good as gold too,” Martin said of a six-year-old who has won 10 of 34 starts.
“And still for sale. He’d be a good horse up in Queensland in their handicapping.”
He’s not a fan of the benchmarking system in NSW, which has seen him lumbered with 59kg.
While Devilgate Road will be racing up on the pace and then hoping to slingshot to victory down and around the notorious Walcha hill, Martin has a second string to his Walcha cup bow – Magic In The Mix.
“He’s a good horse,” Martin said.
“He’s going goodand is probably going to be better over a bit more ground.
“He might go to Quirindi (1600m Cup) after this.”
Six-year-old Magic in The Mix has won four of his 18 starts and jumps from barrier three with Ben Looker aboard.
He was a 5.6 length sixth to Miss Caitlyn in the 1300m Walcha Cup Prelude at Armidale on January 26 and will relish the 54kg.
He gives Martin two chances of winning his fourth Walcha Cup after winning his first in 2007 with Sirenese and then two of the last three with Mt Rainier (2012) and Jefferson Park (2014).
Martin also chases a second Woodie Wonder Racing Stable Ron Martin Maiden (1000m) with Navajo Chief.
He bought the three-year-old gelding off Walcha breeder Jill Nivison.
He retained a share as well, syndicating it with Murray and Sue Keating.
“He’s a very smart racehorse,” Martin said.
“I think he’ll run well around Walcha.
“But he might be going shin- sore.
“Whatever happens at Walcha he’ll be going to the paddock.”
He’s had a trial at Gunnedah when second over 900m and makes his race debut today.
If he wins he will be Martin’s second Maiden winner after winning the Ron Martin Maiden in 2005 with Sweet Trouble although he played a major role when working for his brother Tim, who won Maidens with Turned On (1996), Delusional (2002), Rebelette (2003) and Princess Pedrille (2006).
