Tom Patton Cup takes centre stage at Wagga
A Goulburn mare and Canberra gelding, both six-year-olds, can upset some of the better stayers across the Riverina on Friday in another heat of the Stayers’ Series in the feature Tom Patton Cup at Wagga.
And it’s that peak fitness at 1800m where both Nagging and Croix La Vier are genuine each-way hopes, and certainly well over the odds against some hardened stayers who look better served over more ground.
Nagging, a daughter of Star Witness out of a Spinning World mare and trained by Mark Gee, is hard fit, well-weighted and looms as the best value in the race. Three starts ago she just missed in the Narooma Cup at BM 82 level before midfield in the stronger Bega Cup behind Appoint Percy and then chased home the smart Chocolatier in a BM 64 at Hawkesbury.
You can mount a case, too, for the Jones-Joseph trained Croix De Vie being well “overs” value based on his closing run in the Canberra Cup Prelude over the mile, and before that a fast-finishing effort in BM 80 company at Warwick Farm over 1300m. At Wagga he gets to an ideal trip, and will carry only 52kg after the apprentice rider’s claim.
Yet both will need to run it right out against some tough types who won’t shirk the task, headed by Albury eight-year-old and early favourite Aragonese, who took on Randwick Highway company last start, and the weight-carrying warrior Spunlago, who resumed with a fighting effort over 1400m first-up this track, and will appreciate the longer journey today.
Elsewhere on a very competitive eight-race card, punters can fly out of the blocks aboard the smart metro trialler Terminal in the opening Maiden Plate (Race 1) over 1000m for leading Goulburn trainer Kurt Goldman, and then ice the cake aboard unbeaten Queanbeyan filly and hot favourite Kiss My Swiss in the CL3 Hcp (Race 2) also over 1000m.
One of the better bets on the card looms in the Maiden Plate (Race 3) over 1200m, with promising Goulburn mare Designer Dance facing the starter for just the second time. The four-year-old daughter of Master Of Design showed her ability charging home late on debut this track over 1000m, and the step up in distance today looks ideal against a fairly moderate bunch.