LATITAT might be gunning for more than just Sunday’s $25,000 Watson, McNamara and Watt Guyra Cup (1400m) at Armidale.
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The six-year-old gelding, owned and trained at Armidale by Stafford Wain, was one of 19 Guyra Cup nominations and is following on from successive Walcha and Quirindi Cup victories.
Latitat, who also won the Merriwa Cup in April last year, might also head to the March 16 Armidale Cup, Armidale Jockey Club secretary Jim Dedes reckoned.
“You never know,” Dedes said.
“His Walcha Cup was a bit of a shock ($89 winner) but he won the Quirindi Cup like a real good horse.
“He has him nominated for the Guyra Cup but I wouldn’t be surprised if he ran in the Armidale Cup too.
“He ran in it last year and was only beaten a couple of lengths.
“And Stafford has won an Armidale Cup too (Prince Miasma in 2002) and would love to win another.”
Dedes was delighted with the 19 Guyra Cup nominations as well as the 141 in total.
“Especially after Gunnedah had 131 yesterday,” he said.
“Racing NSW have also put on an extra race for us on Sunday. A Class 2 1100m.
“They only rang me yesterday (Monday) afternoon and we still finished with 19 horses in that as well.
“With the meetings washed out at Port and Murwillumbah they have done the right thing for owners and trainers.”
Dedes believes Sunday’s Guyra Cup will be an outstanding race, drawing together a good field “from all over the place”.
“We’ve got one from Dalby (Gaelstrom), Rigamarole (Colt Prosser) is pretty handy, Shazza’s Bubbles (Ross Stitt) goes good and then you have Devilgate Road (Craig Martin), and Monashee Woods (Sue Grills as well.”
Devilgate Road, Monashee Woods and Miss Caitlyn have strung multiple wins together recently.
Indeed Miss Caitlyn won four on end, including the Walcha Cup Prelude at Armidale, before her three-length eighth to Latitat in the Walcha Cup.
Devilgate Road had also won the CJ Britten Open and Gilgandra Cups before his 10th to Latitat in the Walcha Cup while Monashee Woods (Sue Grills) won the Christmas Cup at Scone before knocking over the Inverell Cup on New Years Day.
The gelding has since finished 10th at Doomben and then ran a big fourth at a Randwick midweeker when he led for all bar the last 100m.
The Sole Taxation Armidale Cup prelude also drew 22 nominations, with last year’s Armidale Cup winner Dusty’s Felt one of three Paul Grills-trained nominations.
