Latest News

By Tony Megahey

Gulgong’s multiple regional premiership trainer Brett Thompson is confident at value odds with emerging speedster Ellysay in Saturday’s Coonabarabran TAB feature race, the 1200m Autumn Cup.

And he reinforces the push for punters by scratching last start winning stablemate Beach House from the annual Cup sponsored by the Imperial Hotel Coonabarabran on a six-race program with capacity fields from the strongest regional stables.

Ellysay wins for Jake Pracey-Holmes at Wellington. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

A direct reaction by owners and trainers in high anticipation of the tremendous $9 million prizemoney increases that apply across all areas of regional racing in July. Unprecedented high times in country racing.

Meanwhile, Thompson's training, farming and breeding stock is done with his three sons, and they all have a healthy opinion of lightly raced mare Ellysay.

The Rothsay-sired mare carries 58kg for Aaron Sweeney from an ideal barrier three in a capacity field.

“We’ve got chances all day but this mare is our best for sure - the way she’s worked and progressed, she’ll go close,” Thompson enthused.

“She’s got genuine speed, led to win at 1100m at Wellington, drawn inside is a big factor at this track so logically she can lead at 1200m.

“But she can be just as effective with a sit. It is a solid form race but she’s showing us enough this prep to suggest she can work through the grades and develop into a handy type.”

With a substantial team, Thompson has been successful often enough in town.

His star mare Amy’s Shadow won successive TAB Highway races to be a Country Championships contender, performed sprinter Kookabaa won at Canterbury Park early season at $31 and was a photo fourth again at big odds there Wednesday.

“We’re ticking over okay but now every meeting you go to out here, people are buzzing about those prizemoney increases, amazing.”

Thompson has Ellysay back in winning form after a short stint early stint on the Gold Coast with Scott Morrissey.

Aside, his recent maiden placegetter Just Lost is among the better chances in an early maiden. At present Coonabarabran is assessed as a Good 4 track in fine weather.

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