Wagga trainer George Dimitropoulos has his eyes on next month’s $70,000 Snake Gully Cup (1400m) at Gundagai after Neyla’s Girl’s city win this week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Dimitropoulos enjoyed his first Sydney winner when Neyla’s Girl upstaged odds on favourite Zonk to win the $40,000 Fillies and Mares Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm.
Ridden by Michael Heagney, Neyla’s Girl ($20.00) landed some good bets for connections after being backed in from $51.
After running a big race first-up when second at Canterbury, Neyla’s Girl proved it was no fluke by going one better at Warwick Farm.
Dimitropoulos has always held a high opinion of Neyla’s Girl and was happy to see her deliver on her potential.
“We’ve always had an opinion of her and she’s matured,” Dimitropoulos said.
“This time in she’s come back at least three or four lengths better. Her trackwork warranted her going to Sydney and she’s run two cracking races.”
Neyla’s Girl is owned by former prominent Riverina rugby league player Matt Rose. He and Dimitropoulos raced the mare, Neylabu, and are now having a great ride with this four-year-old mare.
Dimitropoulos is eyeing off a Highway Handicap for her next run, then it will most likely be the Snake Gully Cup on November 17.
“She’ll go to a TAB Highway, the reason why is that she’s a Class Three horse now, and you’ve got to run to qualify for the Anniversary race on Everest day next year,” he said.
“That’s over 1400 and that’s her pet distance.
“The main aim is the Snake Gully Cup. I think they will have a hard time catching her.
“It’s close to home and I think the track will suit. She’ll be up there and hard to run down.”
Neyla’s Girl will either go to a Highway over 1200m on Saturday week at Rosehill, or one over 1400m the following week.
“The horse will let me know,” Dimitropoulos said.
Dimitropoulos lives in Cootamundra and is up at 5am to travel to Wagga to work his small team, before returning to start work. It is a routine that he is used to, but he has made an application to Cootamundra Turf Club in the hope he can eventually train from the track.
“It would be a lot easier for me and would allow me to have a lot more horses in work,” he said.
“I love the horses otherwise I wouldn’t do (the travel).”