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By Mark Brassel

Goulburn trainer Kurt Goldman is keen to go one better in next Friday’s $100,000 Snake Gully Cup (1400m) at Gundagai.

Goldman prepares Irish Songs who flashed home for a close second to the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Regal Stage, who led all the way to win last year’s Cup with Winona Costin aboard.

This year the trainer will be relying on Intuition who has not started since the end of July.

Intuition (Kerrin McEvoy) heads to the barriers at Royal Randwick. Image by Bradley Photographers

“He’ll be going into the Snake Gully Cup first-up over the 1400-metres,” Goldman said.

“He’s returned from a break looking great and his trial at Hawkesbury the other day was very good.”

Intuition ran last of the five in the trial but was under a strong hold, beaten just over a length by last start Rosehill Gardens winner Katalin.

The seven-year-old is an accomplished performer having started 40 times for eight wins and four placings with prizemoney nearing $500,000.

Incredibly, Intuition has raced on 19 different tracks from Sydney’s Randwick and Rosehill, to Doomben, Eagle Farm and the Sunshine Coast up north, and to Flemington and Caulfield down south – and a few in between such as Wagga and Scone.

“He’s been around a fair bit this bloke, but he’s adaptable and handles the travelling well,” Goldman said.

“Providing the weather is OK he will be running at Gundagai, but I’ve looked at the long-range weather forecast and it’s horrendous at the moment.”

Goldman will have four or five runners during the two-day Gundagai carnival.

“I will run Private Agent in the Class 3, Moon Dancer in the Maiden and Important Product in the Class 1 for apprentices [heat of the Rising Star Series].”

Goldman said Irish Songs won’t be heading to Gundagai and instead will have a freshen up before tackling the Magic Millions Carnival in January.

Irish Song has been in great form and after being trapped wide, did an excellent job to finish fourth to Art Cadeau in The Kosciuszko (1200m) at Royal Randwick.

Irish Songs then turned in another big performance when fourth to Al Mah Haha in the Goulburn Cup (1400m) after making the home turn 10-wide.

Stablemate Ruthless Agent will be heading to town for his next assignment. The eight-year-old has run home well at his last couple of runs, last start having finished fifth to Highly Desired at Goulburn.

“He likes Canterbury Park, so we’ll go to one of those Friday night meetings with him. The Narooma Town Plate at Moruya in December will be his ultimate goal.”

The Snake Gully Cup Carnival is over two days next Friday and Saturday with Friday’s meeting a Racing NSW Country Showcase boasting a total of $380,000 prizemoney.

Supporting the Snake Gully Cup is the $50,000 Snake Gully Flying (1000m) and the $50,000 Country Magic Showcase (1400m).

Gundagai-Adelong Race Club reported that tickets to Cup Day were snapped up within 24 hours.

President Mick Crowe said: “We are absolutely elated with the reception we’ve had from travellers all over NSW.

“It looks as if people have been really hanging out to get back into country and regional areas.”

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Lismore, Queanbeyan
Thursday: Port Macquarie
Friday: Gundagai, Ballina
Saturday: Gundagai, Bathurst
Sunday: Dubbo