UZZIAH’S CUP ROMP GETS $3M BIG DANCE ELIGIBILITY

SYDNEY or the bush?

Newcastle trainer Scott Aspery opted for the latter yesterday – and as a result he will be at Royal Randwick on the first Tuesday in November.

The fact that the Armidale Cup (1400m) carried eligibility for the $3m Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick was enticing enough to head to the country with Uzziah rather than run in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens today.

“I had never been to Armidale, but was aware it is a tricky track,” Aspery said today.

“But the Cup appeared an easier race than Rosehill, and I felt he would be hard to beat if he handled the track, which he did.”

Given a great ride by Kirk Matheson, Uzziah ($6.50) left his rivals with no excuses, romping clear in the closing stages to score by more than two and a half lengths.

Matheson had the gelding away smartly from a worse than midfield draw, then eased to take a trail behind Mystery Lad ($31) and Voracious ($17).

He began his move approaching the home turn, and Uzziah, travelling like a winner, moved up menacingly to join the pair and then put the race to bed.

Mystery Lad battled on for second, with recent Quirindi Cup runner-up Hibiki Harmony ($4.20) finishing third.

Aspery had booked Aaron Bullock early for the Armidale mount, but had to find a replacement when the leading jockey was injured at Taree on March 3 when his winning mount King Potter shifted out abruptly approaching the crossing and dislodged him.

“When I knew Aaron was out, I asked his manager Drew Smith if Ash Morgan was going to Armidale, but he was booked for rides at Kembla Grange yesterday,” Aspery said.

“Then I tried Grant Buckley, but he also was going to Kembla Grange, and his manager sent me a few options, including Kirk Matheson.

“I contacted him as I knew he would know the Armidale track.”

The now seven-year-old Uzziah has been a wonderful performer for Aspery and fellow owners.

A $5000 purchase in Adelaide, he has now won eight races and been placed on 11 occasions, and earned nearly $550,000 in prizemoney.

Uzziah’s record becomes even more noteworthy given he underwent surgery twice on the same knee earlier in his career.

“Uzziah won a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap at Randwick (the same course as the Big Dance) in January 2024, so there’s no problem about the distance,” Aspery said.

“Even though he has now qualified for the race in November, he is going so well that we will keep him going for now, especially on good tracks.

“There are a couple of options for his next start.

“We will probably head to the Muswellbrook Cup (1500m) on March 27 even though it also carries Big Dance eligibility.

“That looks more suitable than the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude over the same distance at Rosehill the following day.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MARCH 14, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS