Neil Evans
A country carnival tilt or even a Saturday Highway date awaits the winner of the headline sprint at Monday’s Quirindi meeting.
In a strong Benchmark 74 line-up over 1200m for a Monday, several hopefuls lock horns in what shapes as a real “stepping stone” race heading towards winter.
Six in the big field are last-start winners, with several coming back from deeper and higher graded feature races.
Fittingly, only four days before the two-day Scone Cup carnival, six runners from that base were in the Quirindi field, including three from the Brett and Georgie Cavanough stable.
Certainly, the Cavanough yard is showing no signs of taking its foot off the pedal amid a successful run.
The stable has seven individual winners from its last 24 runners, including a Group 3 at Hawkesbury, the feature BM 85 Mornington at Tamworth, and the Lone Pint Sprint at Muswellbrook.
But it’s the rival Scott Singleton yard that could well provide Scone’s leading chance, with smart four-year-old Irish Jig returning for his first run since late last year.
A provincial Class 1 winner first-up in spring, Irish Jig was given a quiet trial 19 days ago, so the market will be a big indicator of just how ready he is.
In a wide and competitive race, Irish Jig opened about $5.50 in early betting behind only five-year-old He’s My Warrior ($4.50), which shoots for a third win this campaign for Tamworth trainer Craig Martin.
Right in the battle also is tough Muswellbrook gelding King Larry ($6.50), which hasn’t been far away in two feature sprints at home, and now steps up in distance fourth-up behind a six week freshen.
The Quirindi surface was rated well into soft range through Sunday, but is expected to firm up significantly by the start of the meeting.
Supplied by Racing NSW
