TAMWORTH Jockey Club has been inundated with nominations for not only Sunday’s $100,000 Corey’s Catering Tamworth Cup (1400m), but also the seven support races on a day where $355,000 in prizemoney will be distributed.
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The TJC received 41 nominations for Sunday’s Cup and a total of 210 for a meeting which also includes the $40,000 Goodwin Kenny Mornington Handicap (2100m) and $50,000 FSDP John Clift Memorial Sprint (1000m).
While the 2100m Mornington only attracted 17 nominations the John Clift Memorial, a Benchmark 70 scamper, had 23 nominations.
The $35,000 Carlton Draught Jardel Cup, a fillies and mares Benchmark 65 handicap over 1200m and the $40,000 Shay Brennan Constructions Country Maiden Plate (1000m) make it a marvellous day.
TJC general manager Damon Sullivan is certain the Cup, especially, will be an outstanding race.
He’s delighted It’s A Shamozzle won direct entry into the Cup after the Scone gelding’s brilliant last to first win in the Cup Prelude with a huge weight, but thinks he might carry top-weight again on Sunday.
Of the 41 horses nominated he was tagged with the highest rating (91), with next cab off the rank the Muswellbrook-trained In a Wink.
She was a luckless third to Chrysolaus, also nominated to run Sunday, and Pera Pera last year and returned to winning form when she won the Gloucester Cup at Taree last week carrying 60.5kg.
Five-year-old In A Wink was bred by Gwen and Errol Leicht in Tamworth from local stallion Ready As, who raced impressively for Tamworth trainer Wayne Smyth, and good race mare Time Release, an outstanding mare trained by Tamworth veteran Merv Corliss.
The Leichts own and race In A Wink, who had won the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes at Scone in May 2015 before her unlucky Cup placing.
The Cup disappointment was followed by injury and a change of scenery for the mare, who went from Bennett to Alan Scorse in Newcastle before lobbing at the Muswellbrook stables of Justin McIntosh.
Errol Leicht confirmed the mare is back to her best and will run in the Cup before aiming at Scone in May.
TJC supremo Sullivan is looking forward to a cracking renewal of the Tamworth Cup, his first since taking on the role.
“The Cup is shaping up as a pretty good race,” he said.
“Great to see In A Wink back winning and great that It’s A Shamozzle will get a run after winning the Prelude.
“It gets interesting to what we get out of Newcastle, the provincials and Sydney.
“It’s hard to gauge at this stage but Kris Lees and Paul Perry will definitely have an influence on the field.”
TAMWORTH CUP NOMINATIONS: After All That (Rodney Northam) 75, All But Gone (Damien Lane) 69, Alliterate (Pat Farrell), Binalong Road (Mack Griffith), Blood Red Moon (Geoff O’Brien) 60, Braces (Greg Hickman) 71, Caerless Choice (Paul Messara) 74, Chrysolaus (Jeremy Sylvester) 66, Cocktail Time (Peter Mills) 69, Crooked Stick (Stephen Jones) 83, Darciwood (Jane Clement) 81, Dark Mojo (Brett Thompson) 74, Distinctive Look (David Smith) 73, Egyptian Ruler (Ken Lantry) 76, Exitozo (Scott Thompson) 63, Explosive Scene (Marc Quinn) 67, Feelin The Love (Kris Lees) 74, Hammond Lane (Jeff Englebrecht) 72, Hammoon Boy (sue Grills) 72, Hot Vinni ((Rodney Northam) 72, In A Wink (Justin McIntosh) 88, It’s A Shamozzle (Mary Moses) 91, Mapmaker (Craig Martin) 72, Maybegrey (Melissa Dennett) 71, Mischievous Devil (Les Tilley) 78, Mishani Warrior (Shane Edmonds) 79, Monday’s Expert (Terry Vidler) 51, Mystery Flight (Bill Farrow) 67, Next Level (Gary Portelli) 76, Oakfield Sunrise (Kristen Buchanan), Our Masquerade (Craig Martin) 66, Prada Miss (Stirling Osland), Queensberry Rules (Jeremy Sylvester) 87, Red Letter Day (Ben Hull), Roguish (Tim Martin) 68, Secret Web (Paul Perry) 64, Shotgun Roulette (Wayne Wilkes)70, specific Choice (Cody Morgan) 77, Steve’s Surprise (Hunter Kilner), Strictly Concert (Mark Mason) 72, Timeless Prince (Tony Newing) 75.
