TRY ‘N’ Run A Muck returns to Walcha this Friday seeking to become a member of the select group who have won back-to-back Walcha Cups.
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The six-year-old bay gelding – as on of Pure Theatre, with eight wins in a 41-race career, will be amongst the nominations on Monday for the $35,000 Elders Walcha Cup (1440m).
Along with trying to win the race back-to-back, he will also be chasing his third Cup triumph this year, following victories at Inverell and Glen Innes.
“He’ll go close too ,” reckons long-serving Walcha Jockey Club secretary Kevin Ferrier.
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“The good thing about that horse is he races on the lead. That’s important here.”
Walcha is a unique track, a long back straight that turns up an infamous hill before swooping down and around to a short straight and finish.
Some handy horses have won the Walcha Cup – country Cups king Akwazoff won it in 1996 on his way to a Grafton Cup triumph as well, and Binlee Star won the 1989 edition before returning three years later to win the 1992 Cup.
However only six horses have won back-to-back Walcha cups, and the Troy O’Neile-trained Try ‘N’ Run a Muck is striving to become the seventh after his brilliant win last year.
Red Thespian was the first to win back-to-back Cups in 1938-39.
Cuddabah (1954-55), Star Diver (1962-63), Toddle On (1976-77), Beau Jet (1980-81) and Jeune’s Jester (2005-06) followed.
Kevin Ferrier believes Try ‘N’ Run A Muck will go close to joining that half dozen because he races on the pace with a strong finishing kick.
That’s how he won the recent Inverell and Glen Innes Cups.
He will also have a Good 3 track to race on, Ferrier said, despite the drought conditions.
“We’ve been watering since December,” he said. “We have a good grass cover, we’re really happy with the track.”
O’Neile is really happy with his gelding.
The Tamworth trainer “spelled” him after he broke his rivals hearts to win the Glen Innes Cup (1400m) on January 12.
He led the field at Glen Innes, which also has a tough uphill finish.
“Three or four of them looked like they were going to wheel him at the 600m but he kept on going,” O’Neile recalled.
“He ended up running away from them and won by two lengths.
“Since Glen, he went to the paddock and [has] been back in work now. He races better when he’s fresh.”
Since winning last year’s Walcha Cup, the gelding also won the Wellington Open.
Nominations for the two-day Walcha Cup Carnival close on Monday morning.
The WJC will distribute $209,000 in prizemoney on Friday with its $35,000 Elders Walcha Cup (1440m) the highlight.
There is also the $32,000 Woodie Wonder OK Earthmoving Ron Marin Memorial Maiden (1000m), the $27,000 Lightning (1000m) and the $27,000 Graziers Class 2 Cup (1000m).
Saturday’s five-race non-TAB meeting has $40,000 in prizemoney and is named in honour of the late Cathy Brennan.
The Cathy Brennan Memorial Day is an occasion for the local community to celebrate the life of one of its finest citizens.
“She was a wonderful lady,” Ferrier said.
“A lovely person and very good trainer. She was great with horses.”
