Dantain’s Magic first past the post in the 1200 metre maiden.
The Wagga Gold Cup Carnival was held last Thursday and Friday at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club with large crowds attending across both days.
Nick Heywood finished Thursday’s races with three 5ths placings among other results before embarking on Friday’s races. The city trainers made the trek out to the bush as did some city jockeys but they didn’t have it all their way even though they dominated in the feature race, the Wagga Gold Cup run over 2000 metres with prize money of $200,000 on offer. Richard Freedmon and Tommy Berry combined to claim the first race, before Wagga trainer Chris Heywood teamed up with Brock Ryan to beat the favourite and twelve other thoroughbreds home to claim the Wagga RSL Club Country Maiden Showcase Plate over 1200 metres with Dantain’s Magic.
Some local connections from the Harden area were very happy with the win with Dantain’s finding her best near the line.
Nick Heywood was unlucky not to claim a win in race 4 with Unique Prince, trained by Matthew Dale, going down by .54 lengths.
The Queen of Sydney racing Gai Waterhouse claimed the $80,000 MTC Guineas over 1600 metres with Publicist.
Canberra’s Gratz Vella got the $12 Crucial Witness home under the guidance of Tommy Berry before the metropolitan trainers line up against each other.
It was Chris Waller’s Aleas first past the post, closely followed by Dream Runner, trained by Keith Dryden just .22 lengths away before Five Kingdom finished in 3rd place in what was a ding dong battle down the straight between all three runners.
Just .33 lengths separated the three of them.
The $109,350 has now taken Aleas’ winnings to $235,716 with 12 starts for five wins and two seconds. Lumber Dream took out the Daily Advertiser Benchmark 66 Showcase for Rodger Waters on Thursday as part of the Wagga Gold Cup Carnival.
Richard Bensley was aboard the 4 year old gelding by Snitzel to claim the $15,100 just edging out Zounique, which finished less than half a length later.
Lumber Dream has hit a purple patch with a 1st, two 2nd placings and a 3rd placing in his last preparation where he was freshened for four weeks before returning with a 4th place at Wagga before Thursday’s win.
He wasn’t the favourite but at $6.50 was among the better chances and showed his class amongst a good field to pull off the win over the 2000 metre distance.
Jumping from Barrier 7 Lumber Dream began midfield before Bensley slotted him in with 1400 metres to go in 6th place. Bensley hit the go button at the 600 metre mark before finding a run down the middle of the track.
With 75 metres to go the horses in front spread apart and he found a path and shot through. Wantabadgery trainer Rodger Waters was ecstatic with the win, having just 6 horses in his stable.
4 of those six horses will be looking for runs this weekend where they have been nominated at Albury and Parkes on Friday and Sunday.
