In what is shaping as one of the strongest Wagga Town Plates in years in just under three weeks time, most of the fancied rivals are out for early bragging rights today in a deep Prelude.
Canberra trainer Trevor McIlrick saddles up four-year-old mare Who's Knocking and eight-year-old gelding Got The Goss, but it's the former who can strike the first blow. Lightly raced Who's Knocking, already with a near 50 per cent winning strike rate from 14 starts, possesses one of the biggest sprint finishes in non-metropolitan racing.
Big chance: Trevor McIlrick has two runners in the Town Plate Prelude.Credit:Sittixay Ditthavong
She rattled home to win consecutive races up to benchmark 83 level earlier this preparation before again charging late to just miss in the Listed National Sprint (1400m) on Black Opal day.
Connections were convinced Who's Knocking was going so well that she went to Rosehill to tackle a stronger benchmark 88 field but was totally unsuited on a heavy 9 surface and never got warm. Back on top of the ground today and suited by the big field with plenty of pace on up front, she looks hard to hold out despite a big rise in weight.
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But one of her biggest challenges will come six-year-old gelding Stephan, who is in the best form of his brief career for another Canberra trainer, Gratz Vella.
An unlucky second in the Camarena back home was quickly followed by a cracking win in the heavy at Warwick Farm sweeping down the outside late under 58kg. Of course, his form hasn't escaped the handicapper, and Stephan will have to cart 62kg today jumping from a wide barrier.
Elsewhere on what is a dynamic seven-race card leading up to the Wagga carnival on May 2-3, a big field lines up in the Murrumbidgee Cup over 1800m and doubling as another heat of the Wagga Stayers Series.
And so many eyes will be on the return of promising Albury-trained four-year-old Nothin' Like Harry following his well documented flop aRead More – Source
In what is shaping as one of the strongest Wagga Town Plates in years in just under three weeks time, most of the fancied rivals are out for early bragging rights today in a deep Prelude.
Canberra trainer Trevor McIlrick saddles up four-year-old mare Who's Knocking and eight-year-old gelding Got The Goss, but it's the former who can strike the first blow. Lightly raced Who's Knocking, already with a near 50 per cent winning strike rate from 14 starts, possesses one of the biggest sprint finishes in non-metropolitan racing.
Big chance: Trevor McIlrick has two runners in the Town Plate Prelude.Credit:Sittixay Ditthavong
She rattled home to win consecutive races up to benchmark 83 level earlier this preparation before again charging late to just miss in the Listed National Sprint (1400m) on Black Opal day.
Connections were convinced Who's Knocking was going so well that she went to Rosehill to tackle a stronger benchmark 88 field but was totally unsuited on a heavy 9 surface and never got warm. Back on top of the ground today and suited by the big field with plenty of pace on up front, she looks hard to hold out despite a big rise in weight.
Advertisement
But one of her biggest challenges will come six-year-old gelding Stephan, who is in the best form of his brief career for another Canberra trainer, Gratz Vella.
An unlucky second in the Camarena back home was quickly followed by a cracking win in the heavy at Warwick Farm sweeping down the outside late under 58kg. Of course, his form hasn't escaped the handicapper, and Stephan will have to cart 62kg today jumping from a wide barrier.
Elsewhere on what is a dynamic seven-race card leading up to the Wagga carnival on May 2-3, a big field lines up in the Murrumbidgee Cup over 1800m and doubling as another heat of the Wagga Stayers Series.
And so many eyes will be on the return of promising Albury-trained four-year-old Nothin' Like Harry following his well documented flop aRead More – Source
