PAT Farrell rarely talks up his horses but has made an exception of Zero Cash, albeit briefly, as he aims to break a hoodoo with the mare on her home track and win the Two Rivers Wines Sandy Hollow Sprint (1000m) at Muswellbrook on Friday.
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This is something of an historic meeting for Muswellbrook.
Prizemoney on NSW country tracks goes up to $20,000 on Friday and Muswellbrook and Goulburn are the first two clubs to race under the new deal.
The effect at Muswellbrook has been immediate with 105 acceptances and capacity fields in five of the eight races.
Farrell is not worried by the fact that Zero Cash has started 16 times at Muswellbrook and failed to win. Her record at home is dismal with one second and two thirds.
“She will win,” was Farrell’s quick summation of her chances.
“She can handle the conditions, she has drawn well and she has Greg Ryan riding her.
She can handle the conditions, she has drawn well and she has Greg Ryan riding her.
- Pat Farrell
“I can’t see anything that will beat her.”
The track is rated a heavy eight with the club’s CEO, Duane Dowell, hopeful of an upgrade to a soft 7.
“We are going to gallop a couple of horses before posting a final rating,” Dowell said.
“We just keep getting showers that prevent the track from drying out.
“If we can get to a seven I will be more than happy.”
Fellow Muswellbrook trainer Stephen Gleeson is making a two pronged bid on the Sprint with top weight Don’t Tease Me (Mollie Partridge) and Pippi’s Pride (Leanne Henry).
While Don’t Tease Me’s best form has been on good tracks she has raced on soft tracks five times for a win and three placings including a second on a soft six in Saturday company at Doomben in December.
This will be her third run back from a spell after resuming with a fourth in the Lightning at Gunnedah then going to Doomben for the Chief De Beers and running last.
However, Gleeson has issued a word of warning.
“Don’t Tease Me doesn’t really relish soft conditions,” he said.
“She was placed twice as a two-year-old on soft tracks and that second at Doomben is deceiving.
“It is totally different surface to Muswellbrook and dries out quickly.
“Pippi’s Pride is going well and I am really happy with him but he is worse on rain affected going.”
The Dubelo@Cangon Stud 3YO Maiden Plate (1000m) will kick off the eight-race card at Skellatar Park from 12.20pm.
The last, the Godolphin Benchmark 55 Handicap (1280m), is scheduled to take place at 4.35pm.
Meanwhile, the Muswellbrook Race Club is gearing up for a couple of big months.
On Sunday, August 7, the Bengalla Cup Day will attract punters’ attention, with the Godolphin Tiara Ladies Day on Sunday, September 11.
The feature meeting, however, is the Muswellbrook Cup on Friday, November 25.
