Scott Spackman is confident Wagga trainers can end Albury’s domination of the SDRA Country Championships Qualifier on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Border trainers have come out on top in the first three editions of the lucrative race.
However this time around Spackman is looking to claim a home victory
He’ll line up three mares in the $150,000 race, Didnt Even Kiss Me, O’ So Hazy and Chastity Strikes.
O’ So Hazy shapes as his best chance, with the mare installed as the $3.50 favourite, but he’s pleased with how all three head into the race.
“I’m just over the moon to have three in it and three genuine chances,” Spackman said.
Spackman is no stranger to success in the race after finishing second behind Loved Up in the inaugural event in 2015.
He believes he’s got his best chance since Yet Tobe Convinced.
O’ So Hazy has drawn the worst of his three runners, and will start from barrier 10, but has been able to overcome poor alleys in most of her starts.
“She has never drawn a gate apart from once at Gundagai where she ran last,” Spackman said.
“I’m not that concerned to be fair.
“She will come out of 10 and Brooke (Sweeney) can make a decision on jumping.
“We will go forward but if they want to take us on we will take a sit.”
She’s only missed the place once in nine starts and is coming off a third at Canterbury.
Didnt Even Kiss Me raced in last year’s qualifier but finished down the track.
Twelve months on she is coming off wins in the Tumbarumba and Tumut cups and Spackman is confident she can step up to the mark.
“Those two kills at Tumba and Tumut have just been ideal for her,” he said.
“We’ve got a different way of doing it this time and she is a very happy horse.”
He was also thrilled to draw barrier three.
“She’s drawn perfectly in three, you couldn’t ask her much better and Chastity Strikes is drawn alongside,” he said.
“I probably would have liked her a bit wider because of her barrier habits, but I think we are on top of them now.”
Chastity Strikes can play up at the start but comes into the race with at Wagga last time out.
Spackman was looking for a fourth entry but did not accept with Takookacod.
“It’s just too soon for her getting to the 1400 metres,” he said. “She’s only a three-year-old and there is a nice Class 3 for her on the day.”
It enabled Chastity Strikes to scrape into the field.
Wagga definitely has the weight of numbers with nine of the 16 runners trained in the city plus two of the four emergencies.
