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By Ray Hickson

Kempsey trainer Julie Lynch will be taking her entire stable to the races on her home track on Thursday headed by consistent galloper Claptone who tackles the feature $40,000 Wauchope RSL Wauchope Cup (1450m).

Lynch has never had a large stable and can’t recall having five runners on the same program in her almost 50 years of training but says she’ll take Claptone, Battledance, Class Revolution, Sacred Field and Jeune Dreamon there confident they can run to their best.

The transfer of the Wauchope Cup meeting from last Sunday to Thursday gives Claptone a bit of breathing space after his gallant second, after leading, over 1262m at Taree on June 9 at his first run since having cardiac arrhythmia at Grafton some six weeks prior.

While he’s only raced three times on his home track Lynch said it’s a boost to his chances and expects the gelding to give a sight.

Julie Lynch with Claptone, one of her five runners at Kempsey on Thursday (Pic: Bradley Photos).

“It was a super run in a Benchmark 82 when he’s only a 68 himself,’’ she said.

“I don’t think (the extra four days) makes that much difference to him but being on his home track is a bonus.

“I think any horse on their home track really has two or three lengths advantage, they don’t have to travel and aren’t sweating up on a truck and they know the track.”

Claptone has been with Lynch for just on two years and in that time has won five races – and she’s adamant there’s plenty more to come.

If he happens to win the Wauchope Cup, Lynch said she’ll consider working him toward a race through the July carnival at Grafton.

“He’s only six, he’ll race for another two or three years. He’s as sound as a bell and he loves it,’’ she said.

“If he wins he’s going to go up in rating and I’ll have to look at going down the line. There might be something at the Grafton carnival for him.”

Lynch trained in Tamworth in the mid to late 80s before moving to Nyngan where she won a host of feature races in the west.

She’s been based in Kempsey since 1995 and with her whole stable in action on Thursday she is preparing for a big day.

Battledance has finished in the top three in three of his six starts at Kempsey and runs in the Inland 4WD & Tractors handicap (1450m), Class Revolution chases a maiden win in the “Vilified” Bainsbridge Farm Handicap (1000m), Sacred Field will be out to find form in the Tecnix HVAC&R Pty Ltd Air Conditioning Handicap (1250m).

Claptone of course runs in the Wauchope Cup and Jeune Dreamon backs up from notching his first win for Lynch in the Port City Glass Handicap (1250m).

“We’re going to be very busy,’’ she said.

“I think they are all good chances, they’ve all been going very well.

“Jeune Dreamon won his last start at Coffs last Friday, he’s run second here before over 1250m. He just loves racing too.”

All the fields, form and replays for Thursday's Kempsey meeting