CUP winners litter today’s $35,000 Akubra Quirindi Cup in a race and a day where Cessnock trainer Jeremy Sylvester has a double- pronged attack on not only the Cup but also the $25,000 Julie Green Real Estate Lightning Handicap (1100m).
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Sylvester starts Collar and Uno Five in the Cup as well as Youthful King and Showmethemoney in the Lightning.
Youthful King, who won last year’s Jungle Juice Cup on his home Cessnock track, also won the Lightning at Quirindi last year, beating the Mary Moses-trained Eanie Meanie in the sprint.
The Lightning success was his second win at Quirindi in three starts.
Collar has raced at Quirindi once for no luck while Uno Five is yet to start at the track.
“He (Collar) ran in the Cup last year,” Sylvester said.
“That was his second run for me and I was just starting to work him out.
“We only paid $5000 for him so he’s been a good moneyspinner for us. We’ve had a lot of fun with him.
“Uno Five won well last prep in Brisbane and then ran a few placings up there too.
“He’s won a Lismore Cup for us.”
He believes the Bindi Cheers-trained Phrases might be the hardest to beat after he won a Saturday metro race four starts back.
“He’s in pretty good form – ran in the Gosford Cup too.”
Phrases also won a Port Macquarie Cup three years ago and Walcha Cup winner Latitat comes into the race with no weight on his back (54kg) although Leanne Henry will be chasing a second Cup in two weeks from barrier 13.
Keep It Danish was a close third to Latitat in the Walcha Cup and was also third in the Inverell Cup won by stablemate Monashee Woods on January 1.
In between, he was second in the Glen Innes Cup and Walcha Cup Prelude.
Sue Grills prepares him for Sel Brown and the late Theo Hill.
Quirindi Jockey Club committeeman Gordon Forsyth also has a Cup runner in Stable Surprize, a last-start Armidale winner trained at Newcastle for him and Joe Russo by Ken Lantry.
Kempsey Cup winner Clunes Rocket is another Cup winner in the field and goes from barrier seven with Peter Graham aboard for Grant Prosser at Wauchope.
Moonbi trainer Ruth Cooper also starts Mullet Man, a winner of Grafton and Port Macquarie Cup Preludes and dual Barraba Cup winner Emotional Outburst also runs for Tamworth trainer Mark Mason.
Mason also has Hit Rhythm in a Lightning in which last year’s winner Youthful King needs a sharp improvement from his last-start effort at Armidale.
“He was disappointing,” Sylvester admitted.
“He had had a couple runs back in tougher company, in Sydney and the Gosford Pacesetter, but he was a little bit disappointing at Armidale.”
Sylvester has won two Lightnings, Wry Hero and Youthful King saluting for him.