My Maher provided Wagga trainer Trevor Sutherland with one of the finest moments of his career with victory in Friday’s $70,000 Snake Gully Cup (1400m).
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Canberra jockey Kayla Nisbet went back-to-back in the Gundagai feature, this time steering My Maher ($16.00) to an upset victory in what was an all-Wagga finish.
After edging out the Sutherland stable aboard Mercurial Lad in a photo finish to last year’s Snake Gully Cup, Nisbet was this time on their side as the Wagga mare unleashed a powerful sprint to come from virtually last on the corner and win.
The Chris Heywood-trained Not Too Sure ($11.00) looked the winner halfway down the straight but was gobbled up in a matter of strides by the winner.
Not Too Sure finished three quarters of a length back in second place, with O’ So Hazy ($6.50) two lengths back in a gallant third.
It was Sutherland’s first Snake Gully Cup and the win justified his confidence in the mare.
“I was very confident going into it. Two months ago I told them I could win it, if I get in the field,” Sutherland said.
“It was a great ride. Everything worked out to plan so it was great, great for the owners and great for the mare. If she learns to settle, I think she’s metro class or a Town Plate horse next year.”
Sutherland has won four trainer’s premierships in the Southern District but the big races at Wagga, Albury and Gundagai have so far eluded him.
He was pleased to tick off the Snake Gully Cup for the first time.
“It’s good. It’s something we’ve been wanting to do,” he said.
“After last year, getting beat with (Gentleman) Max, it was nice to come here this year and be able to do it.
“There’s only three (SDRA Cups) we haven’t won, this was one of them, hopefully we can keep adding to it.”
Nisbet was equally as chuffed to take the race for a second consecutive year.
“It’s very exciting. It was a big thrill last year. Mercurial Lad was obviously right in the betting so I was expecting it to happen but this year I certainly wasn’t expecting it so it’s a bigger thrill,” Nisbet said.
It wasn’t until the final turn and heading into the short Gundagai straight that Nisbet thought the race was there to win.
“The last corner actually. She travelled into it really nice and they went quick enough that she had a lovely run. I knew that she would let down well if she relaxed and she did.”
It was Nisbet’s first ride on My Maher, who is owned by Pat Reardon, Mick Terry and Terry Hill. The mare started her career with Matthew Smith at Warwick Farm but was transferred to Sutherland earlier this year.
Most of the fancied runners finished well back in the field with four of the last five home priced $6.50 or less.
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