Girl power could reign supreme as Wagga trainer Scott Spackman tries to keep his winning run going with jockeys Brooke Sweeney and Rebeka Prest at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Friday.
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Spackman and Sweeney will combine with O’ So Hazy, while Prest will be legged aboard Takookacod who is coming off three Highway Handicap runs in Sydney.
The girls will also ride Marpenny and Isola De Paige for Spackman who will be kept busy with four runners on the nine-race program.
“I don’t remember starting more than four horses at a meeting before,” Spackman said.
“The girls have been riding winners for me and getting the job done. Brooke has had 10 rides for me for four winners and two thirds and Bek has won a couple on Takookacod this campaign.
“Takookacod has been racing well in Sydney and wasn’t far away a couple of times and I expect her to be hard to beat in a pretty tough race.”
All of Spackman’s runners are fillies or mares and his two maiden horses have both only had one start each.
Marpenny is raced by his uncle and aunty Lindsay and Marg Rodgers, who also own the dam Marqueen.
Isola De Paige was formerly with the Bjorn Baker stable in Sydney and still has a fair bit to learn after just racing once, according to her trainer.
“Isola De Paige was bought off the Internet and will step straight up to the mile after running over 1000 metres at her first start,” he said.
“She is still very new to racing as is Marpenny who has come a fair way but still has a bit to go.”
The trainer is more upbeat about the prospects of his proven runners who are favoured in early betting markets.
O’ So Hazy has won three of her past five starts and steps up in grade from the outside barrier in the field of eight.
She was an impressive winner at Wagga last time and while respectful of his opponents, Spackman doesn’t feel the Summer Sprint is too much harder.
“She has been racing in top form and been put in the right places to win,” he said.
“If she gets headed at the start she can take a sit. As long as she is in her comfort zone she will race well.”
The mare is raced by Noel Penfold and Larneuk Stud who stands her sire O’Lonhro, while Penfold owns Takookacod.
Takookacod’s main danger could come in the shape of the oddly named Molasses who possesses a powerful finish.
Molasses was impressive winning his two starts prior to a spell and will be racing for the first time since August.
