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By Graeme White

Brungle Creek is racing for a potential place in the Albury Gold Cup if he can perform up to expectations in the Romanos Hotel Benchmark 66 (2000m) at Wagga on Thursday.

The current $3.60 TAB favourite on the NSW TAB has drawn barrier one for his first test in NSW.

The grey [pictured below] is prepared at Wangaratta by Sylvia Thompson who doesn’t start a lot of horses at Wagga.

“If he can run well he will hopefully get into the Albury Cup if his rating can go up a little,” she said.

“He hasn’t raced that way (NSW) but the indications are he will be fine.

“He will run 2500 metres in time but I want to keep him at 2000 metres for now because there are more options for him him.”

Brungle Creek is raced by John and Helen McPhee who have had great success over decades including winning the Albury Cup three times, according to Thompson.

The trainer looked after Brungle Creek after his early education before he was sent to trainer Jason Warren where he had a few starts before finding his way back to Thompson.

The five-year-old was placed in consecutive maiden starts for Thompson before he won over 2000 and 2050 metres at his next two appearances. He then acquitted himself well jumping from a Benchmark 58 to the $100,000 Wangaratta Cup where he ran fourth in a field of eight.

Brungle Creek again performed to a high level and comes back in grade at Wagga and stays at the same distance. Thompson said Brungle Creek would just need some room to move under the guidance of jockey Nick Heywood.

“He likes to get out and get into his rhythm. He keeps grinding away and doesn’t have a great sprint,” she said.

“He wasn’t over raced as a young horse and had a good bit of time off and is starting to find his best now. He is a big lean horse who doesn’t carry a lot of condition and I expect him to run a big race.”

Unique Prince ($4.60) will have to carry 66.5kg if he is to win which would be one of the highest weight a horse has carried at Wagga over the cup distance for some time.

Unique Prince won consecutive races a Wagga before failing with 62.5kg in the Tom Patton Cup (1800m).

Duchy Of Cornwall ($4) ran on well when second at his first start for several weeks at Wagga over a mile and gets to 2000m for the first time.

Ledecky’s Dream ($2.60 fav) was an impressive last start winner at Wagga at her first run for trainer Heath Maclean.

He also prepares another last start Wagga winner Testing The Cugat ($6.50) who will contest the Wagga stayers series heat over 2000m.

Dupride Star ($5.50) comes back in distance from 1400m after contesting the Albury Country Championships and is a winner at her only start over 1000m.

Trainer Gary Colvin also has a strong winning hope with improving filly Trifecta Ruby who is the $2.50 TAB favourite for the Riverina Hotel Class 1 (1000m).

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Wagga here