Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer Garry Lunn believes the switch of Sunday’s $65,000 Cowra Lamb Cowra Cup (1600m) to Orange is a huge advantage for his in-form galloper Knife’s Edge to claim another country cup this preparation.

Orange took over the hosting duties after Cowra's course was damaged in the recent floods, but Lunn said the tighter circuit wouldn't have helped his horse's cause.

The six-year-old’s Coonabarabran Cup win last month put him in contention for a start in the $2 million Big Dance in November. Lunn is adamant the gelding hasn’t gone backwards since that impressive win and is rapt Mikayla Weir wanted to stick with him.

“If the meeting was at Cowra he wouldn’t be running,’’ Lunn said.

“This is a bigger track and he probably wouldn’t have got around Cowra. He’s pretty versatile but I think the bigger track suits him better.

“I went to Coonabarabran pretty confident and he’s probably going better than when he went there.”

Knife’s Edge had the first half of his 26 starts in Victoria before being picked up by Luke Morgan just over a year ago but he’s been a revelation since Morgan transferred him into Lunn’s care thinking he’d make a handy stayer.

Three of the gelding’s five career wins have come in this preparation, at 1400m and a mile, with his only two defeats coming in Sydney and Lunn said there was merit in both unplaced runs.

“He’s done everything we’ve asked of him,’’ he said.

Knife's Edge wins the Coonabarabran Cup on December 23

“His run in the Country Classic was super, if he got any luck he’d have been right in the finish.

“He was unlucky in Sydney but the other day (at Coonabarabran) they rolled along pretty quick and he was able to get home.

“He’s probably going better now than what he’s ever been going. He’s a good horse to train, he worked exceptionally well last Tuesday.”

Lunn said it’s likely Knife’s Edge, $3 favourite with TAB on Saturday, will have another run or two before heading for a break and a decision is made on his November 7 target.

With a 67 city rating and 29 qualifying races, including a Wild Card, for the Big Dance the Dubbo trainer is aware that might not be enough to put Knife's Edge in the top 20 and he may have to settle for a run in the $500,000 Little Dance.

“If he can win a couple of races and get his rating up we’d go for the Big Dance,’’ he said.

While there’s expectation around the in-form Knife’s Edge, Lunn said it would’t surprise him if eight-year-old stablemate Careering Away ran a cheeky race.

The Cowra Cup was an afterthought but he said the race will suit him a lot better than when finishing fifth in the Gilgandra Cup on January 2, with that race shortening by 320m on the day due to an issue with the track.

“He went from 2200m at Dubbo and the (Gilgandra) Cup went from a mile to 1280m,’’ he said.

“You can throw a 20 cent piece down the straight at Gilgandra, his run was enormous to be beaten five lengths over that trip after going 2200m.

“He’ll put himself in the race and he won’t disgrace himself.”

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