3 minute read
While internationally renowned Paul Perry has the numbers and form to dominate Friday’s Quirindi Cup TAB meeting, rising Clint Lundholm has select former city gallopers in a winning vein on the eight-race program.
Clint's former Godolphin sprinter Amulet Street is attempting a winning treble and the ex-Lee brothers' stayer Notabadidea spaced his rivals in last month's Gilgandra Cup into the Quirindi feature.
Perry, of Choisir and multiple Group I fame, has nine runners throughout the program and has targeted the Elders Killara Feedlot $50,000 Cup 1600m, with three acceptors and also dual representatives in the Quirindi RSL $40,000, Showcase Lightning Sprint 1110m.
In the Cup, Perry's Theo Legion is at $4.20 on TAB on the strength of three wins from as many starts at Quirindi and solid recent placings at the Beaumont Track and Gosford, as he carries 55kg for Mikayla Weir.
Stablemates Surging ($14) and Dodecanese ($10) are wider in the market but are race fit and solid enough in recent provincial races.
However, into the Cup with a huge message is Lundholm's three-time city and seven-race winning topweight Notabadidea ($4.60) who won last month's Gilgandra Cup (1600m) by a widening 4.4 lengths with 60kg.
He only rises a half kilo for Brooke Stower. It's significant that Lundholm hasn't claimed.
And vitally the tough gelding who won at Warwick Farm and Canterbury Park for the Lee brothers, races on-pace and has barrier one.
Moving to Clint mid last year, he's been super value already, winning twice, placed in the Mudgee Cup before his Gilgandra runaway. And after a month's freshen, set for this with a recent home track Dubbo 1000m trial.
"At the weights hard to beat again, tough genuine old horse; his Gilgandra win was enormous, he's only gone up a half kilo, he'll be on-pace from the draw and had the freshen and a trial," Clint enthused.
"His owner is from Coonamble, he's friends with Neville Voigt who is close to the Lee brothers, they thought he'd reached his limit in town but an ideal Country Cups horse; he's certainly that and he's still only six.
"He's won three for us, big sight every race. Brook rode him in a trial, she does a lot of work for us, so we stuck with her.
"We've set him for the Wellington Cup all going well."
Amulet Street ($5.50) has been impressive winning at Tamworth and Walcha and contests the John Deere PV Country Classic (1200m).
"The owners bought him online from a Godolphin dispersal sale, looking for a Country Championships horse, we've set him for the qualifier up here and he's right where we want him.
"Both wins really solid, on-pace and closing off. He'll need luck though where he's drawn in a strong form race."
At present Quirindi is a Good 4 in fine weather.
