By Tony Megahey
Multiple Central Districts premiership trainer Brett Thompson said forget the form of two of his runners who struck interference and were unlucky last start, going into Saturday’s Cowra Jockey Club TAB meeting.
In-form Thompson has numerous runners throughout the six-race TAB program that has the added excitement of coinciding with the return of the incomparable Winx at Royal Randwick.
More Than Art (Jake Pracey-Holmes) - looms as a big chance at Cowra on Saturday. Image by Janian McMillan
“Yep, out here and everywhere else in racing is looking forward to it, she’s just a freak; no stars of mine up here, but More Than Art and Huka Pele both struck interference last start - forgive their runs going into suitable races,” the Gulgong-based former shearer and farmer explained.
More Than Art, a six-race winner, is big value from the inside draw, contesting the Cowra Services Digger’s Cup BM 50 (1375m) and likewise Huka Pele, in a later Balance Accounts and Advisor’s Class 2 (1700m).
“More Than Art has been a nice horse for us, he was badly hampered at Gunnedah last start and his third at Gilgandra was a good run. He’s been competitive in some harder races up here.”
Huka Pele, a five-year-old Hidden Dragon mare has won two of 19 starts, and Thompson said she is fitter with several runs from a spell, and her recent riders were convinced she had a future.
“Matty Cahill and Eleanor (Webster-Hawes) both told me the mare had a nice feel,” Thompson says. “She copped a really back check last start when she was working into the race at Gunnedah.
“It put her off stride and she raced erratically, but her second at Gilgandra was a top run. She’s fitter and out to her right distance in suitable company. She was really strong winning out to 1600m on the Sunshine Coast last prep.”
In-form Dubbo trainers, Connie Greig and Garry Lunn also have strong contenders throughout the day. Cowra at present has a good 4 track rating with fine weather predicted.
View the final fields with full form & race replays for Cowra here