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Tumut trainer Kerry Weir will give the talented Universal Pack a second chance to win the $170,000 Albury Gold Cup after he stormed home to win Sunday's Corowa Cup.

Universal Pack was set to target the Albury Cup (2000m) last year but suffered a setback in the lead-up and failed to gain a start in the feature race.

He has come back in top form for this year’s race, having had three starts since resuming for a first-up win in the Tumut Cup (1400m) before his big finish to beat the classy Wodonga galloper He’s An Angel in Sunday’s Corowa Cup (1600m).

Weir is now aiming to end the city domination of the Commercial Club Albury Gold Cup on March 25 and become the first southern districts trainer to win the race since Richard Freyer won with Taskwin in 2003.

“He was third up over a mile and is a 2000 metre horse, so the run should top him off perfectly from an Albury Gold Cup point of view,” Weir told the Border Mail.

“It was a huge run because he got a further back than I thought he would but he made up a tremendous amount of ground. It was quite pleasing.

“We have been patient with him and hopefully it pays dividends

“The Albury Cup is another step up in class and it is shaping up to be one of the strongest ever class wise.

“When you are racing for that sort of prizemoney they will come from anywhere.”

Universal Pack will have huge local support in the Albury Cup as is owned by Weir with former Albury publican Frank Snow, his son Mick and long time stable client Noel Penfold from Wagga.

The backmarkers were certain to get their chance in the Corowa Cup after El Toro set a cracking pace as a tearaway leader with Universal Pack settling at the tail of the field.

The favourite Le Roi Charlemagne chased the leader from the 800m and hit the lead turning for home before the Brian Cox-trained He’s An Angel surged to the front at the 200m.

Having his first start since December He’s An Angel looked the winner until Universal Pack stormed home close the outside rail to score by a nose.

He’s An Angel finished third in the Albury Gold Cup last year and Cox has him set to improve on that effort this year.

Cox also is preparing Cudgewa, narrowly beaten in the Wodonga Cup in November, for the Albury Cup.

The Richard Freyer-trained Aussie Bomber produced an honest performance to finish third.

He also is a former Albury Cup placegetter and is on track for another shot at the feature race.