3 minute read
Canberra trainers Mathew Dale and Nick Olive can dominate today's McAlister, Saunderson and Stubbs XXXX Gold Snake Gully Cup (race 7) at Gundagai.
Dale is represented by two runners in Lebrechaun and Happy Finish while Olive prepares Capital Commander, and between them they should go close to returning home with the $50,000 race.
Capital Commander is fitter for one run from a spell and has a good overall record for this 1400m Handicap.
Five starts ago she raced at home over this journey and scored an easy win, before finishing runner up on the Acton track there when back to 1280m.
Stepping out over a mile in town at Warwick Farm she struck a slow track and after settling second battled on well to finish third.
She then raced at Randwick over a mile and drifted back to midfield in the run, turning there before finishing 10th, beaten 3.8 lengths.
It was a little out of character for the honest mare so she was sent for a spell.
Resuming over 1200m in a Benchmark 65, Capital Commander carried 61kg to a dominant 1.5 length win, sitting third before running on to score.
Today she faces a tougher assignment as she takes on open class horses but drops a massive 8kg after the win.
She goes well second up and has won three of four runs at the trip.
One of those was on this day here last year, where she tackled a Class 1 race and scored by 7.5 lengths.
From barrier two today she will enjoy the run of the race and with the light weight looks hard to hold out.
Happy Finish is racing well and looks the biggest danger.
The gelding had five runs last campaign and although didn't win was super honest throughout, placing four times and finishing fifth at the other.
This time in, he resumed in a Benchmark 75 over 1200m at home and after taking up the running found just one better on the day, finishing runner up.
He then raced in open class over 1175m at Albury, and with a big weight raced on the speed before drawing to the lead and holding on for a last stride win.
He drops 3.5kg in the weights for today's race and has won at the trip – which was in this race two years ago at his only try at the track.
Happy Finish has drawn well and should be prominent throughout again.
Stablemate Lebrechaun is resuming form a spell and should run a big race fresh.
The gelding was Group 2 placed in the Ajax Stakes four back before finishing sixth in the Group 3 Parma Stakes.
He was then last when struggling in the heavy ground in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes then endured a very tough run from a wide gate and was well held in the Wagga Cup before a spell.
He is fitter for a recent trial, goes very well fresh and at the 1400m trip has three starts for three wins.
The claim helps offset the big weight and he should be hard to hold out.
He's An Angel has drawn wide but is going very well and looks a strong each way chance.
The Brian Cox trained gelding has won two of three runs this campaign including the latest over 1400m at Bendigo.
He has a great record at the trip and will be running on strongly today.