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Well performed eight-year-old Upper House will break the $300,000 barrier in prize money if he wins the Queanbeyan Cup on Sunday with connections hopeful he can break back into the winner’s circle.
Upper House was bred by his trainer Norm Gardner who is in his fifth year of racing the galloper who has won ten times and been placed on 13 occasions from 62 starts for just under $290,000 in earnings.
Gardner has had many horses in the same category as Upper House over the years, including some better, but as far as longevity goes he is up with the best he has trained which says a lot about his training practices.
Keeping a horse sound and interested in racing is half the battle especially as they advance in years and Gardner knows this better than most.
"It's hard to win when they get up to the grade he is, but it looks a very suitable race on Sunday," Gardner said.
"He seems the know when the big prize money races are on because he has a habit of missing the start which can put him back in the field further than planned.
"He did it last start in the Little Dance in Sydney and is cost him being closer in the run."
Upper House will again be ridden by jockey Jess Taylor who was aboard when he galloper was last on jumping but closed off strongly to finish only three and a half lengths from Dream Runner in the $500,000 race at Randwick.
The galloper captured one of his biggest wins in the 2020 Ted Ryder Cup at Wagga and next month's feature race is again on the agenda.
Upper House has proven form at country cups level running second in last year's Gundagai Snake Gully Cup and also runner-up in the Queanbeyan Cup behind Zakeriz.
Top weight Olympic Theatre finished close to Upper House in ninth in the Little Dance and was also second behind Quality Time in the Port Macquarie Cup.
Roman will represent the Joseph-Jones stable which has captured multiple cups over the past 12 months including the Snake Gully Cup.
The galloper was an eye catching first-up second at Warwick Farm and has raced once since finishing last at Randwick two weeks ago.
Island Bay Boy ran eighth behind Super Helpful in the Snake Gully Cup and is a serious threat on his home track for trainer Tony Sergi where he is unbeaten in two starts.
Hilltop Hood, who is also trained at Queanbeyan by Mick Smith, excels at the cup distance of 2000 metres where he has finished in the top three ten times from 18 attempts.
Invincible Dash ran 11th behind Upper House and Olympic Theatre at his latest start and was a solid fourth under 62.5 kilograms at his latest start at Canberra.
His trainer Nick Olive recently relocated to Queanbeyan from Canberra and will be looking to celebrate a big week in which he turned 50.
Invincible Dash has the inside draw and will be ridden by Brendan Ward.
