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Canberra based stables look set to play a strong hand on Snake Gully Cup Day at Gundagai on Friday with plenty of live chances heading to the meeting to contest the major races.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The feature $50,000 Snake Gully Cup (1400m) will see five Canberra-trained horses line up along with one emergency.
Matthew Dale will saddle up two, which includes listed winner Lebrechaun who is resuming from a spell and eight-year-old gelding Happy Finish who took out the race in 2009. Both look a good chance and are owned in similar interests.
Nick Olive looks to have a winning hope with his charge Capital Commander (Brendan Ward) who was very impressive when winning first up at Canberra last start carrying 61kg. This looks a much tougher assignment for the four-year-old however the son of Commands has won in metropolitan class and is building up a solid career record.
Tony Campbell Memorial Cup winner Trescorpioni is also in the mix and will be looking for improvement after a last start 10th in the Dubbo Cup, whilst Ravna Gora from the Mick Miladinovic stable who is first emergency looks to have gained a start after a scratching. The Rado Boljun-trained Clever Hans is 4th emergency and looks hard pressed to gain a run at this stage.
Canberra trained horses currently hold top favouritism for the race with Capital Commander at $3.40 on TAB fixed odds with Lebrauchan the next best at $5 and Happy Finish not far behind on $5.50.
An impressive eight of the 11 horses lining up in the $15,000 Signature Quarries Snake Gully Flying Open Handicap (1000m) hail from Canberra with Nick Olive again playing a strong hand with two chances in Grand Rhumba and Celero.
Jolly Joker will return from a spell for trainer Gratz Vella whilst city winner Eye Of The Needle also resumes for Keith Dryden.
The eight race card makes for a competitive days racing with the feature event to start at 5pm.