SATURDAY’S major meeting at Kembla Grange isn’t the only weekend focus for local trainers Joe Ible and Brett Lazzarini.
Whilst both will be trying to win the Midway Handicap (1400m) – each with their sole runner at the stand-alone fixture – they also will clash at tomorrow’s annual Bong Bong Cup meeting.
Ible has Cuban Granchico (Louise Day) and Lazzarini has Mancconi (Reece Jones) vying for Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap honours, and oppose each other with Fiancetto (Ible) and Berenike (Lazzarini) in the Class B Handicap (1200m) at the popular picnic fixture.
Fiancetto will be Ible’s first runner at Bong Bong, and whilst Lazzarini has another representative in the 1000m Maiden Plate (Feng), the Cup will have to wait for another year at least.
He accepted with Mancconi for the Cup and also at Canterbury tomorrow night, but this morning confirmed the gelding will run at his home track.
There is an interesting sidelight to The Gong meeting as Ible’s Cuban Granchico is a younger full brother to fellow Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price’s Cuban Royale, the sole local hope in the $1m feature.
“Cuban Granchico’s two runs this preparation have been excellent lead-ups to Saturday’s Midway,” Ible said.
“He is primed for his third-up run, and his Kembla stats are a good pointer to his chances.
“Cuban Granchico has raced seven times at home for three wins and three placings, and his Kembla 1400m record is one win and two placings from three starts.
“I won’t mind at all if there is rain as he is better on soft and heavy ground.”
Ible achieved his goal of training 20 winners last season, and a further four this season has lifted his career tally to 108.
Lazzarini’s five winners so far this season have boosted his career number to 114, and he has made an interesting analogy about Mancconi’s Midway prospects and his trackwork.
“He is the slowest trackworker I’ve ever had,” he said. “He wouldn’t beat time with a stick.
“There’s no point galloping him with another horse because they would beat him out of sight.
“It’s a different story on racedays. The adrenaline gets him going.
“Mancconi is no champion, but he’s a real trier. He wasn’t beaten far by Ben Smith’s Herb at Kembla last Saturday, and I’m sure he will back up okay.”
Unlike Ible, Lazzarini is hoping the track stays rain-free as he points out Mancconi, who has won four races and been placed 11 times, is better on dry ground.
. Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup has called up Taree apprentice Zac Wadick to lessen his mare Short Shorts’ 62.5kg topweight in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) against her own sex.
“Zac is riding really well and has outridden his country allowance,” Widdup said. “But he can claim 3kg at both the provincials and in town.
“Short Shorts is dropping back in class from her last few runs, so Zac’s allowance will be very helpful. I just wish she had drawn better than near the outside.”
Short Shorts was placed in the Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at the Scone carnival in May, then at her next run went too hard in front when ninth in the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at the Wyong Cup meeting on September 1.
That run obviously took its toll as she finished seventh in the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at the Newcastle Cup carnival a fortnight later, and Widdup freshened her for another campaign.
Jason Collett was aboard when Short Shorts led throughout to easily win an 818m Warwick Farm trial on November 8, and the talented mare, a five-times winner, is ready to return to the races.
Wadick, who began his career with the now Hong Kong-based Mark Newnham in Sydney before moving to the country, has also been booked for Peace Officer in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m) at Kembla Grange.
Michael Craig’s selections are:
Race 1 - 10 Lyrical Gangster flew home for last start win
1 Touristic will be hard to hold out
6 New Republic suited over this trip
Race 2 - 2 Tribeca Star in peak form after 3 starts back
5 Zouatica big chance fresh
13 Sammiballerina extra trip will suit
Race 3 - 8 Contemporary improved by 2 runs back from spell
7 Smashing Eagle hard fit and drawn well
13 Runwiththetide has the home track advantage
Race 4 - 3 Miss Hellfire nice effort when resuming
11 Leandra fought on well first up
2 Per Inaway has a great record when fresh
Race 5 - 4 Burning Need back in grade from last start
3 Byron not far away when returning from a spell
5 Cuban Granchico nearing peak form
Race 6 - 1 Loch Eagle solid winner at Randwick
11 Deficit could be hard to hold out
2 Another One can improve from one start back
Race 7 - 3 Osipenko freshened up and hard to beat
13 Spangler top performance in Little Dance
1 Cepheus recent form cannot be faulted
Race 8 - 5 Bacchanalia fitter for 2 recent trials
6 Dragonstone very consistent sprinter
9 Hard To Say continues to impress
Race 9 - 5 Headwall has trialled very impressively
10 Acapella Sun flew home when clear last start
9 Squad is building up a nice record
Race 10 - 4 Crafty Eagle has a good first up record
6 Mars Mission always a chance in this company
12 Cliff House keeps improving
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