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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Lyle Chandler has his eye firmly on next month’s Scone Cup with his stable star Banju so he’d like to lay a strong foundation with a good fresh performance in the $200,000 Tamworth City Toyota Tamworth Cup (1400m) on Friday.

Trainer Lyle Chandler (Pic: Steve Hart)

Banju has only raced once at Tamworth for a third in last year’s Hunter & North West Country Championships but since then has worked his way through the grades to be Listed placed at his last start in February.

Chandler, who trains at Scone, said the six-year-old spent two and a half weeks in the paddock after his Parramatta Cup second placing.

“I wish I’d left him out a little bit longer because he didn’t lose any fitness, he came back really well, and we’ve just been ticking him along,’’ he said.

“He needed the hitout down the highway at Muswellbrook and Aaron Bullock was very happy with him.

“He normally trials ordinary but he was pretty sharp with Aaron on board and that was nice to see with the headgear off.

“He’s very consistent. If you look at his form you probably slightly doubt he’s up to this class at 1400m but having a senior jockey on at 1400m he can be competitive.

“Scone is the grand final so to speak but I thought the Tamworth Cup would be a nice stepping stone.”

Both the Tamworth Cup and the Scone Cup carry eligibility for the $2 million Big Dance (1600m) run at Randwick on November 7.

Chandler said if Banju was to qualify by winning either race it would give him a bit to think about as he’s expecting the gelding to relish a middle distance as he showed when King Frankel ran him down late over the 1900m of the Parramatta Cup.

“The Big Dance is an option but I think he’ll be a really nice horse over 2000m,’’ he said.

“Without taking anything away from the winner in the Parramatta Cup I just thought we gave the race away a little bit rather than playing our best hand.

“He was too strong early and it made us vulnerable.

“I actually think he’s better when he’s got a bunny to chase but he does enjoy a good tempo.”

The Listed $200,000 Darley Scone Cup (1600m) is run on May 12.

Chandler has five-year-old mare Innervoice close to a win after two seconds from as many starts since joining his stable from Queensland.

The mare had five starts for Lauren Abbott last year, and was previously trained by Jenny Graham, and has caught the eye in two runs at Muswellbrook leading into the Courthouse Hotel Jardel Cup (1200m).

“She’s appreciated the change of scenery. She has a strong finish on her,’’ he said.

“Hopefully she can settle not too far back and not give herself too much to do. She’s thriving, her coat is like silk and she’s just a happy girl.”

Banju runs second in the Parramatta Cup

Innervoice drew one from the outside in the 13 horse field so it’s likely she’ll be conceding a start again.

Two-year-old Charge By The Hour was thrown in the deep end at her debut at Rosehill back in January on the back of a handy trial and Chandler describes the filly as a work in progress.

She finished ninth behind Red Resistance and Steel City back on January 14 and lines up in the Civilcon Romantic Dream Plate (1000m) with blinkers on.

“She had a short spell and she looked really good but she lightened off quickly. I think she will be a better three-year-old,’’ he said.

All the fields, form and replays for Friday's Tamworth Cup meeting