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Brisbourne Spreads Wings In Search Of Dance Berth (Narrandera Sunday)

By Ray Hickson

If lightly raced galloper Bullet Wing wins Sunday’s Narrandera Cup it doesn’t bother trainer Ben Brisbourne whether he makes the final field for the $3 million Big Dance or winds up in the $750,000 Little Dance come November.

The Wangaratta trainer says given the money on offer he’d be rapt to be included in either race and just needs Bullet Wing to tick the mile box in the $50,000 Leeton Toyota Narrandera Cup (1600m).

With just eight starts under his belt, the four-year-old likely needs his rating to continue to rise to ensure he gets into the top 20 in the Big Dance, run over 1600m at Royal Randwick on November 7, but that’s a problem for later on.

“I know we are a Victorian stable but you like to support these clubs that put on races with an incentive,’’ Brisbourne said.

“I had a look at the market and saw they’ve put him up as favourite so how exciting.”

Bullet Wing has only been in Brisbourne’s care this preparation and was a winner at his second run for the stable before a gallant third under 59kg in a Benchmark 72 at Warwick Farm on June 28.

He drops to 56.5kg at Narrandera and that, along with a favourable barrier, encouraged the trainer to give the gelding his Big Dance shot.

“We’ve had him for the three runs and he won very well at Wagga and he did a super job in Sydney last time,’’ he said.

“We went up there for some good ground and it ended up being a horrible track on the day.


Bullet Wing runs third at Warwick Farm on June 28

“Rather than take him back there next week we thought we’d give him a nom for Narrandera where we thought he was nicely weighted and he got a nice draw so we head there.”

The big question mark is how strong will Bullet Wing be at 1600m?

Brisbourne said his gut feel is that it won’t be an issue and the horse will be ridden as though he will run out every centimetre of the distance.

“I don’t see why not. His racing pattern is good in that he likes to race on speed but when he’s there he doesn’t overdo it so he’ll give himself every opportunity to run it out,’’ he said.

“It is an unknown but you never know there might be more upside there at the mile.

“We’ll be aggressive early to put him in the first two but hopefully he is able to get a couple of easy sectionals midrace.

“Then we have the weight to be able to kick on and make it a true mile test.”

Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm says his warhorse Notabadidea isn't out of place in the Narrandera Cup on the back of a tough effort when third in the XXXX Cup (1400m) at Mudgee two weeks ago.

The seven-year-old won both the Gilgandra and Coonabarabran Cups over the mile last season and Lundholm said he shouldn't be underestimated in a race that sets up well for him with 1.5kg off his back for apprentice Ronald Simpson.

"I think he just pushed the button a little early on him the other day,'' Lundholm said.

"But he was tough through the line and that will top him off for the mile. If he's not leading he'll be settling on the leader's back and he looks well placed in this race."

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday's Narrandera Cup meeting

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