BORDER Flight ploughed through the Heavy 10 conditions to win the Deepwater Cup for Tamworth trainer Sue Grills and the gelding could do the same at Bingara on Saturday where he could notch a “triple” whammy for his trainer as well.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
If he wins the 1400m $9000 Bingara Cup he could also win Grills the inaugural Picone Family Summer Stars trainer’s bonus as well as the horse’s bonus.
Bingara is the final round of the unique series inaugurated by the Inverell Jockey Club to help promote the smaller clubs at the northern end of the Hunter and North West Racing Association.
It has raced its way through meetings at Inverell, Bundarra, Moree, Glen Innes and Deepwater, with Saturday’s Bingara Cup meeting the final and deciding round.
Border Flight enters that round equal with Real Blonde (Peter Sinclair) and Glen Innes Cup winner Carry Me Gee Gee (Paddy Cunningham).
The winners of the three sections – jockeys, trainers and horses – receive $500 courtesy of the Picone family, the Moree-based bookmaking family.
Winning the Bingara Cup carries double points as well which would also tip Grills over the edge in her battle with Cunningham, over whom she has a small three-point lead.
It’s an intriguing finish, Inverell Jockey Club vice president Mike Witherdin said.
“A Melbourne Cup field of horses remain in contention for the Picone Family Summer Stars bonus,” he said.
“The Cup (a benchmark 65 handicap over 1400m) carries double points in the scoring system so any of about 18 horses can leapfrog current leaders Border Flight, Real Blonde and Carry Me Gee Gee (all on 15 points).
“Border Flight and Anchorfel added to their totals with wins at Deepwater while Beauzel and A Long Way remain in contention as they have been consistent competitors at the small community meetings since the series started at Bundarra in October,” Witherdin said.
“The trainer’s bonus looks to be a battle of the sexes with Sue Grills scoring a Cup win and a double at Deepwater to leapfrog previous leader Paddy Cunningham, who has put Glen Innes back on the racing map since his return home.
“Both trainers have supported the smaller meetings, using the easier class of races to develop horses into form for the TAB programs.
“Darren Jones (95 points) looks to have a mortgage on the jockey’s bonus with a big lead over Jodi Worley (69) and Sue Bigg (56) and his only problem looks to be making sure the sponsors, the Picone bookmaking family from Moree, bring their cheque book with them to the races at Bingara,” Witherdin joked.
