3 minute read

Ballina mare Two Times A Lady should give her backers a big sight in today's Tooheys New Armidale Cup (race 7) at Armidale.

The mare, prepared by Joanna Methven, has been in strong form of late and after two runs from a let up will take catching in today's feature over 1900m.

Five starts ago, Two Times A Lady led throughout for an easy win over 2000m at Lismore in a Benchmark 55, before stepping up to a Benchmark 60 over 1900m at Coffs Harbour.

There she again took up the running and led throughout, lifting strongly in the straight to bring up a winning double.

Over 200m on the Gold Coast next, she drew wide as she took on tougher horses in Class 6 company and worked across to lead.

She turned sharing the front but faded in the straight after the early work, finishing 10th.

Methven sent the mare out for a let up, suggesting she may have had an issue or needed a break, before kicking off again over 1300m at Coffs Harbour.

Although the race was too short, and she was beaten for speed early, she boxed on well in the straight to finish a solid seventh, beaten four lengths.

Last start, fitter for that and up to 1500m at Eagle Farm, she was sent to the lead in the heavy conditions and pulled out enough to score a narrow win over Dubai Prospect.

The mare will be fitter for those two runs and gets back to her right trip now.

She has drawn a little awkwardly in barrier 12 but will come in three spots after scratchings.

She drops 3kg on a last start win in town and although is comfortable on the soft tracks three of her five wins have been on top of the ground.

She takes on the open class horses today but with the light weight and while racing so well she should give a big sight at each way odds.

The John Scott trained Rodeo Playboy is fitter for one run back from a spell and can feature in the finish with improvement on his fresh up run.

The gelding won two times over this journey towards the end of last campaign before finishing it off with a fast finishing third in the Taree Cup over 2000m.

After a spell he resumed over a mile at Taree and despite a big weight ran a top race on the speed, finishing fourth.

He will be much fitter for the run and did win second up last campaign over a similar journey.

He drops 6kg on his last start in Benchmark 65 class so will appreciate the lighter impost and despite an awkward draw will also be on the speed and hard to catch.

The Kevin Dixon trained Equable didn't have a lot of luck in the Guyra Cup here last time and looks an each way hope.

The gelding was well held over a mile in the Quirindi Cup before dropping back to 1400m for the Guyra Cup here last time, where he was crowded up in the straight and finished seventh.

He drops in weight for this and although jumping 500m in distance is proven to 2050m.

Derivative Receipt ran fifth in the Guyra Cup and is fitter for two runs back.

Although he hasn't won for a long time he has a top record at this track and distance, with three wins from four runs, and with the claim looks well placed here.