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The 2023/24 King Island Galloping and Pacing Cup headline Sunday afternoon’s six-race card.
Local trainer Tammy Muir has two runners engaged in the $4,500 Jim McKenzie Agencies King Island Galloping Cup (1800m) with Discleavaboy and Tyson's Reef.
Discleavaboy has won three races, all on the Island, the most recent victory was over 1600m on 16 December.
"I knew he would be up there, but I didn't think he would finish off the way he did.
"He got tightened a bit around the turn last start, and I reckon he just lost his momentum and didn't want to continue after that," said Muir.
Codi Jordan, who has won six races on King Island this season, will ride the five-year-old gelding and will carry the top weight of 65kg, 1.5kg more than any other runner.
Muir also prepares Tyson's Reef in the race, who Craig Atkinson will ride from the inside gate.
"He is a bit of an unknown factor as he has never raced over a distance before, and I thought I would start playing around with him a little bit and he has made it into the cup, and I thought, bugger it, I may as well give him a run," said Muir.
Muir has only been training since December 2020 and has commenced this season in good form, preparing five of the 15 gallop races held on the Island this season.
"It's been ecstatic, but I'm well aware that the wheels can fall off any time, so I will take it while I can.
"Generally, my horses don't seem to win until later in the season, but this year, I brought them back in earlier, and I didn't know if it would work or not," explained Muir.
Muir is continuing a strong family tradition on the Island, and she has yet to train a King Island Cup winner but had success as an owner with Congomotion in 2019, who was trained by Robert Keys.
A field of seven will contest the $4,500 Carlton & United Breweries King Island Pacing Cup (2438m).
Brighton-based trainer Tammy Langley has been operating a satellite stable on the Island this season with three runners who have all made the cup field.
Her daughter Tiarna Ford drives the best of her chances, Lou Lous Allgold, who will start from a 20m handicap.
The first of the six-race card (four gallops and two harnesses) commences at 12:45, with the Pacing Cup scheduled for 14:45 and the Galloping Cup at 15:25.
There is no off-track betting available on the meeting, which will be streamed by the team from King IslandTV.
