Sir Aussie can triumph in Saturday’s $20,000 Don Bartlett Memorial Bush Battlers Cup (1400m) at Inverell, provided he behaves himself in the barriers, says the horse’s Quirindi-based trainer Scott Thompson.
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Thompson is preparing the chestnut gelding son of Choisir for the second running of the race, which was previously staged on January 1 .
He said Sir Aussies would “run well if he jumps”.
“He’s got no weight on his back, which is a big help, but he’s not the best horse in the gates,” Thompson said. “He does plenty of things wrong in the barriers. But if young [jockey] Reece [Jones] can get him away I think he’s a big chance.”
The six-year-old has won four of his 31 starts but has thrown a number of chances away because of his tardiness and bad barrier manners.
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He became eligible for this race when he resumed from a good spell at the Bundarra Cup meeting, winning a Benchmark 50 handicap on September 29.
Last time out he was third at Tamworth, beaten by just over a length by Bunny Bad Girl when he missed the kick.
On Saturday he has drawn well in barrier three, with Scone apprentice Jones to claim three kilograms off his 54kg impost.
Jones has impressed in his short career and already can boast a Coonamble Cup and Coonabarabran Cup double.
He has a good book of rides on Saturday, as well as Sunday’s Quirindi meeting.
Unfortunately, Thompson cannot say the same. “I don’t have a runner at Quirindi on Sunday,” he said.
“Either nothing suited or they didn’t get a run. I also have a few coming back in. Invincible Bot and Valatia are coming back and hopefully they’ll be racing soon.”
Named in honor of the late former Inverell Jockey Club president, Don Bartlett, who passed away last year, the Bush Battlers Cup is restricted to horses who have contested a meeting of a club that stages only one meeting a year, such as the recent Tabulam Cup meeting.
The first Bush Battlers Cup was won by Victory Lass, trained at Inverell by Todd Payne, who was a narrow winner over Clipaholic.
Payne will run Semtex in the second Bush Battlers Cup while Inverell trainer Bill Perrett will saddle up Clipaholic.
The Cup, a benchmark 58 handicap, has attracted trainers from across northern NSW and southern Queensland.
It is a marvellous event for small country stables, with runners from Inverell, Moree, Tamworth and Quirindi as well St George, Warwick and Goodinwindi.
John McLachlan, formerly from Inverell and now based at Taree, has two runners in the Cup – Thundering Heart and Emvepee.
While the Bush Battlers Cup is the feature race, the Diggers Cup will also be staged on a TAB program with more than 70 runners. The TAB meeting at Coffs Harbour on Saturday has less than 50 runners.
The Inverell and Quirindi race again for traditional non-TAB Boxing Day meetings while Inverell and Wallabadah have huge New Year’s Day Cup meetings.
