Post by Yellowbeard on Nov 11, 2005 17:45:21 GMT 10
Wyong trainer, Neville McBurney, is considering using the $25,000 Sky Channel Gold Wingham Cup (1400m) at Taree on Sunday, November 20 as a stepping stone to the Villiers Stakes at Randwick for Brave Mariner.
The lightly raced four year old made his Australian debut at Wyong yesterday and ran second, beaten a head, behind Chevington in the NSW Sports Injuries Committee Class Five (1200m).
It was Brave Mariner’s first run since arriving in Australia six months ago following his close up seventh to Magnetism in the Group Two Great Northern Guineas (1600m) at Ellerslie on March 5.
Brave Mariner was beaten only 1.7 lengths in the Guineas at just his fourth race start after winning easily at his previous two starts.
Yesterday Brave Mariner was well back early but stormed home to be just beaten with top weight of 57kgs.
“He is not a big horse but he a real trier,” McBurney said.
“The Wingham cup would be a nice race for him at this stage of his preparation and I am thinking seriously about it.
“Looking further ahead I think he might be a nice Villiers horse.”
The $175,000 Group Two Canon Villiers (1600m) will be run at Randwick on December 17.
Brave Mariner is the fourth New Zealand bred horse sent to McBurney by Australian blood stock agent Michael Stedman.
The others are Brave Flyer, Brave Lancer and Brave Regent.
Brave Lancer was one of the stars of the McBurney team in Melbourne this spring, running second in the Geelong cup to Melbourne Cup runner up On A Jeune and third over 2800 metres at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.
The Wingham cup is shaping up as a cracker jack race.
Armidale mare Frisco’s Harem, which will break through the $100,000 prize money barrier if she wins the Diggers Cup at Inverell tomorrow, is being set for the race.
And so too is the prolific country cups horse Tara Express, now trained at Muswellbrook by Stephen Gleeson.
Nominations for the Wingham cup close on Tuesday morning.
The lightly raced four year old made his Australian debut at Wyong yesterday and ran second, beaten a head, behind Chevington in the NSW Sports Injuries Committee Class Five (1200m).
It was Brave Mariner’s first run since arriving in Australia six months ago following his close up seventh to Magnetism in the Group Two Great Northern Guineas (1600m) at Ellerslie on March 5.
Brave Mariner was beaten only 1.7 lengths in the Guineas at just his fourth race start after winning easily at his previous two starts.
Yesterday Brave Mariner was well back early but stormed home to be just beaten with top weight of 57kgs.
“He is not a big horse but he a real trier,” McBurney said.
“The Wingham cup would be a nice race for him at this stage of his preparation and I am thinking seriously about it.
“Looking further ahead I think he might be a nice Villiers horse.”
The $175,000 Group Two Canon Villiers (1600m) will be run at Randwick on December 17.
Brave Mariner is the fourth New Zealand bred horse sent to McBurney by Australian blood stock agent Michael Stedman.
The others are Brave Flyer, Brave Lancer and Brave Regent.
Brave Lancer was one of the stars of the McBurney team in Melbourne this spring, running second in the Geelong cup to Melbourne Cup runner up On A Jeune and third over 2800 metres at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.
The Wingham cup is shaping up as a cracker jack race.
Armidale mare Frisco’s Harem, which will break through the $100,000 prize money barrier if she wins the Diggers Cup at Inverell tomorrow, is being set for the race.
And so too is the prolific country cups horse Tara Express, now trained at Muswellbrook by Stephen Gleeson.
Nominations for the Wingham cup close on Tuesday morning.