3 minute read
Canberra trainer Nick Olive has Invincible Dash in peak form as he attempts to add the Queanbeyan Cup to his recent success in the Gundagai Snake Gully Cup.
Invincible Dash is the favourite for the $45,000 Walsh's Hotel Queanbeyan Cup (2000m) on Sunday on the strength of his runaway victory at Goulburn and last start fourth at Rosehill in Saturday company.
Apprentice jockey Damon Budler will again ride Invincible Dash from barrier 16 with the wide alley presenting the biggest threat to his chances
The tactical battle will be crucial as impressive Cootamundra Cup winner Zakeriz appears the leader for apprentice jockey Nyssa Burrells and will take no end of catching.
This leaves the other contenders chasing and if Zakeriz can maintain his form and high cruising speed it could be game over.
There is a form line developing from the Cootamundra Cup with the runner-up Ready To Humble going onto win the Snake Gully Cup.
Upper House finished strongly for second in the same race and will carry the top weight on Sunday for trainer Norm Gardner and jockey Matthew Cahill.
The well performed veteran galloper will lump 61 kilograms which is five kilograms more than his nearest opponent and seven kilograms above most of the field.
Gardner said the ever-reliable Upper House – a winner of $267,000 - is in perfect order after a great display at Gundagai.
"He has backed up well in the past and has pulled up so well after Gundagai I was keen to run him," Gardner said.
"He has been beaten four lengths in a Wagga Cup (2000m) and his run at Gundagai was solid so if he can reproduce those type of efforts he will be a good chance."
Upper House is raced by Gardner and some family members including his mother-in-law who derives great enjoyment from watching the galloper race.
"We gave her a share for her birthday when he was a yearling and he has had a lot of wins and been a lot of fun for her," Gardner said.
"I haven't had a runner before in the Queanbeyan Cup. It's going to be a hard race to win, but I know the horse will always do his best.
"He is the highest weighted horse with the best record so he has a fair bit of weight. Invincible Dash will be hard to beat, but a lot of these horses are coming out of benchmark races and my bloke has been in open grade for a while."
Invincible Dash could hardly be going any better – third in the Cootamundra Cup, a win in the Bateman's Cup at Moruya and then success in a $50,000 Showcase race at Goulburn.
It was the way Invincible Dash left his rivals standing over the final 200 metres at Goulburn over 1600 metres that makes him the horse to beat.
He was beaten just over one length at his next start in Sydney and looks ideally suited to the 2000 metres.
Nick Olive is coming off one of his career highlight wins in the Snake Gully Cup and can take a lot of confidence out of the form around Invincible Dash.
There is an extra $10,000 on offer for the Cup compared to last year and that has resulted in a high quality list of contenders.
Last year, the Joe Cleary trained Havaduel defeated the Olive runner Pecuniary Interest.
Hometown trainer Cleary will have Subtly Spring in the Cup and eight runners across the meeting including Up Trumpz in the Hotel Binalong Thunderbolt.
Tobermory will be backing-up for his second start in a week and having his first test at 2000 metres in the Cup.
The galloper won first-up at Albury in August which was his first start for 80 weeks after a few setbacks.
The Todd Smart trained representative was able to gain the verdict again at Canberra last Sunday winning over 1600 metres defeating another cup candidate, Nieces And Nephews, which ran third.
Smart is looking forward to seeing what Tobermory can do over a distance that should suit.
"He ran third over 1600 metres in the Ted Ryder Cup in 2019 and showed that day he wanted ground and that was the opinion also of his jockey," Smart said.
"He only had a couple of starts after that and went amiss and this is the first time I have bene able to get him up to that distance.
"I think he will run well, but it's a tough race."
