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Ballina trainer Stephen Lee could hold the key to the Slipway Hotel Ballina Cup on Thursday with last start winner Sigmund and the inform Right To Roam.
Sigmund will start one of the favourites after an easy win in the Casino Cup but he has to contend with a wide draw at the 1600 metre start.
Right To Roam is in winning form at the right time with wins at two of his past three starts and gives Lee an undeniable chance of capturing the feature race.Stablemates Youthful King and Collar filled the quinella in the Cessnock Jungle Juice Cup and could again finish at the head of the field.
With Lee and trainers Jeremy Sylvester and Brett Bellamy all having dual representation, it could be left to Gold Coast trainer Maryann Brosnan to spoil any local celebrations.Brosnan has the opportunity to win both feature races as she will also saddle up Perfect Punch and November Grey in the Tursa Newmarket and Spatha in the Cup.
Spatha has won two of his four starts at Ballina but has the widest draw to overcome.“He missed the kick last start and was a bit unlucky. It’s a bad draw – if he had drawn inside I would be more confident,” she said.
“He does go well at the track winning the Iris Nielsen and another race there.”Perfect Punch and November Grey will be up against in the Newmarket with the pair either resuming or having their second starts back from a break, according to Brosnan.
Topweight Easy Running and Mana Mana have the right form to win with Brosnan hopeful of a top three finish for her duo.“The distance (1250m) is too short for Perfect Punch, but if they go hard he is a place hope. November Grey has ability but it a bit in and out of form,” she suggested.