Moruya trainer Natalie Jarvis has her eyes on claiming another hometown premiership and will be striving to boost her chances with several likely prospects on Thursday.
Jarvis has an impressive strike-rate at Moruya this season with 13 winners form 58 starters which is well ahead of the eight wins she had at Moruya last season.
She will have eight starters on Thursday which include multiple chances in the Heck Of A Deck – The Peoples Horse Benchmark 58 (1300m), Rheem Australia Benchmark 58 (1650m) and South Coast Window Furnishings Maiden (1200m).
The only race where she has one starter is the Ezywear Work Rest Play Narooma and Moruya Maiden (1010m) where she will be represented by Dragons Breath ($26 on TAB).
Her three starters in the one race are headed by No Emotion ($10) as well as Legislation ($7) and Chairman’s Choice ($18).
Jarvis’s husband, Luke, believes little will separate the pair judging by their displays when they filled the quinella at the Sapphire Coast on May 2.
“Legislation is always thereabouts but doesn’t win often. No Emotion likes racing at his home track although the track will be rated heavy and that is a question mark with him,” he said.
“Legislation won at Moruya last campaign and will be fitter for the one run back from a spell.
“Chairman’s Choice needs to improve on what he has been doing. He has been worked a bit differently so hopefully, that helps him because he tends to over-race.”
Jockey Robbie Brewer will again have the ride on No Emotion after guiding him to a three-quarter length victory only 11 days ago. Apprentice jockey Amy McLucas will reduce Legislation’s weight to 53kg after her allowance on the heavy track.
There is 7kg difference in the weights between the stablemates and switching to a wet surface may give Legislation an advantage, according to Jarvis.
“He will have no weight on his back and that is a big difference on a wet track,” he suggested.
Jockey Shaun Guymer will be aboard Chairman’s Choice as well as Shrug ($6) and Dragon’s Breath for the Jarvis stable. Shrug has won two of his five starts this campaign and will oppose stable mate Icksta ($9).
“Shrug won well at Goulburn and his last effort was also solid. Icksta is back on his home track where he has won his only two races and should also be in the finish” Jarvis said.
The Jarvis stable is keen to win the Moruya trainers' premiership again after some close contests in recent years with the Robert and Luke Price stable.
They have strong numbers on Thursday, but so does the Price team with Loretta ($3 favourite) and Monte Dundee ($34) in the Maiden (1200m), while their best chance appears to be Kimberley Rain ($4 fav) in the Benchmark 58 (1300m).
The final race Kimberley Rain is in is clearly the most interesting with the aptly named Phelan Thirsty ($17) resuming from a spell. The mare won two of her final three starts prior to going for a spell in December.
Phelan Thirsty is the first galloper trainer Graeme Murray has prepared for the syndicate which is headed by John Bridges. Phelan Thirsty won consecutive races at Wagga on a heavy and good surface at big odds of $21 each time.
Murray said Phelan Thirsty didn’t have the best form prior to winning: “He ran last on a heavy track at the Sapphire Coast then came out at Wagga and won impressively on a heavy surface,” he said.
“He won again on a good track so it showed he was able to race as well as he worked. The plan is to get him to the Grafton Cup carnival at his fourth start this preparation as the owners love the country carnivals and they go to Grafton most years.”
Phelan Thirsty, who will be ridden by leading jockey Jeff Penza from barrier four, isn’t a noted first-up performer and Murray believes a distance further than Thursday’s 1300m will be more suitable.
“This is the first horse I have had for the owners and she has shown she is good enough to win a few more races,” he said. “She will get up to a distance of 1600 to 1800 metres in time. She is right after one jump out to kick off at the 1300 metres.”
The track rating is a heavy eight after constant rain this week for the seven races.
View the final fields with full form & race replays for Moruya here