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Cliff House – the well supported TAB favourite ($2.30 into $1.95) to win Sunday’s XXXX Gold Gundagai Cup (1800m) – has a few different obstacles to overcome to win the feature race, according to trainer Tim Donnelly.
The impressive last start winner has a huge date ahead for the $200,000 Wagga Gold Cup in early May and Tim Donnelly is keen to get another run into the gelding.
"He normally has four up to six weeks between starts, but this time it is about two," Donnelly said.
"It won't be a problem it's just a little different to what I normally do with him between starts.
"He is also getting onto a smaller track with a shorter track, but it's a perfect race for him leading up to Wagga."
The winner of the Gundagai Cup is also exempt from the ballot for the Wagga Cup where last year The Doctor's Son qualified through this race.
Cliff House has drawn wide which his trainer feels won't be a problem and allow him plenty of room to get settled with Danny Beasley in the saddle.
The five-year-old has some impressive race figures with six wins and four placings from 13 starts.
His latest win at Albury over 1600m was one of his best and backed-up his impressive effort when fifth behind Bianco Vilano in the SDRA Country Championships at Albury.
Donnelly said the soft track was in favour of Cliff House who has proven to be a cheap purchase for his owners.
"He only cost $7000 on an online sale when he was an unraced rising four-year-old," he said. "He has won $170,000 and I thought his last win was his best with the turn of foot he had at the finish."
Unique Prince ($8 to $9) has been carrying some massive weights and will relish the drop to 55.5kg. The gelding won consecutive races before finding the huge weights too much of a burden in recent starts.
Offspring ($12 to $14) just arrived in time to win last start at Wagga and is at her peak for the feature race. Recent winners Insider Trader ($23) and Kingston Charm ($2.90 to $3.50) bring some new form into the Cup.
Kingston Charm won over 1600m at Randwick two starts ago, while Insider Trader was successful at Newcastle. Gundagai racecaller James Tait is a part-owner of Kingston Charm and is looking forward to seeing how the mare performs.
"It's just a thrill to have a runner in it and it would be fantastic to win it," Tait said.
Last start Orange Cup prelude winner Sea Of Flames ($19) has also tasted success in the Gilgandra Cup this campaign. He was sixth in the Cowra Cup and fifth in the Quirindi Cup before winning with Shayleigh Ingelse aboard last start.
The 2kg-claiming apprentice will again be in the saddle from a wide draw at the galloper's first attempt at 1800m. The Gundagai Cup is a qualifying race for the $3m Big Dance at Royal Randwick in November.
