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Kitzbuhel ($2.30 favourite on TAB) – the dominant force in the Wagga stayer series to date – faces new opposition from outside the region at his biggest test at Wagga on Monday.
The four-year-old has won his past two starts at Wagga under big weights (61kg and 62.5kg) and at a distance of 2000m.
This time he has to step up in distance and weight again for the Riverina Cup Prelude (2500m) where he will carry 64kg on a heavy track.
The fresh contenders come in the shape of Marakopa ($8.50) from the Robert Quinn stable at Warwick Farm and also Barmah Al ($3.90) for Daryl Archard of Echuca.
Quinn's only other ever starter at Wagga won when Sally Pops was successful on November 23 last year.
"It's a suitable race and he also doesn't mind the heavy tracks so I have to travel to find the right races," Quinn said.
"He won well at Muswellbrook two starts back and the jockey said he will get more distance so we will head down to Wagga on the morning of the race and hopefully end up with the same result as the last time we raced there.
"This is the time of the year we can capitalise on the conditions and the distance for this horse. If he goes well I will also take him back for the 3800 metre race later in the month."
Kitzbuhel was an acceptor at Rosehill on Saturday with Wagga trainer Tim Donnelly electing to stay closer to home against easier opposition.
There were other factors that contributed to Donnelly wanting to stay at Wagga where Kitzbuhel has proven his worth in three starts for Donnelly since arriving from overseas.
"I thought he was a top-four chance in Sydney where he will start favourite at Wagga and has been going well," he said. "He is a very tough horse who is going just as well as he was before his last win.
"He only arrived in Australia early in the year, was gelded, then he has been in work for several months and is still going just as well. I think he can win again even with the weight, but there are a couple of new horses in the race that won't be easy to beat."
Donnelly rated Archard's runner, Barmah Al, as the hardest to hold out on the strength of his win and third at his past two starts at Bendigo.
Wagga jockey Nick Heywood will again have the ride on Kitzbuhel who has to carry 5kg more weight than Marakopa and 9kg higher than most of his rivals.
Donnelly will have five starters at Wagga – high by his standards – with Pontmain ($6) and Pushkar ($5) also winning hopes. Debutantes – the aptly name Whenitrainsitpours ($26) – and Lucas Del Maler ($9) add to his runners.
Pontmain will be having his third start back after a long layoff due to a tendon injury. Donnelly feels Pontmain can acquit himself better at his first start over 1800 metres in the Smallmon Brothers Waste Class 1 & Maiden.
The galloper won on debut at Wagga two and a half years ago and has been restricted to just four starts as a seven-year-old.
"He is back on track now. The heavy track is a query, but I'm happy with how he is going," he said. "Pushkar can handle a wet track and is dropping back in grade."
Puskhar will contest one of the two heats of the Battlers Cup Benchmark 50 (1300m) on the 10-race program.
