Temora trainer Garry Harpley would love a breakthrough home victory with Temora Reactor on Saturday night, for a few reasons.
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Harpley says the big gelding isn't suited on the tight track at Temora, particularly over the 1630m of the $10,200 Club Menangle Country Series Heat, but he'd love to see him earn a trip to the big circuit at Menangle.
"He's going as good as he's ever been, the last half a dozen starts, but he's probably not at his best at Temora," Harpely said.
"He doesn't always handle the first turn at Temora. Where he's been going well is on big new track at Wagga... If I can qualify and get him to Menangle, I'd love to see him go around up there again."
Temora Reactor (71 starts, 6 wins) has had three starts at Temora - for a sixth, a second and a third last year. But he ran third at Menangle two years ago, as three-year-old maiden, in a 1609m race run in 1.55.7.
As owner, trainer and driver, Harpley's always believed in Temora Reactor's ability but said he's been a tough nut to crack.
"He's been a work in progress since he was a foal," Harpley said.
"He's a head-strong horse and he's had 70-odd starts but he's a bit of a slow learner. He's one of those where nothing works out for him, he gets bad barriers... but he's been a good horse to us, all the same."
The first of eight races at Temora is at 6.40pm and Harpley expects a good turnout.
Temora horseman Steve Pike is likely to be among them, still sporting a grin from ear-to-ear after Heart Of Cooper's win in the $20,000 Country Final at Menangle last Saturday.
Bred and owned by Pike, and trained in Goulburn by David Hewitt, the four-year-old won the 1609m event in 1.54.3.
"It's the biggest win of my career so far," Pike said. "I sat down with my grandparents, Col and Shirley, and my parents and we all got a real big buzz out of it winning that race.
"It's the quickest mile rate of my career... I always knew that he could go and he's starting to hit his straps."
The win took Heart Of Cooper's prizemoney to more than $46,000.
The Sportswriter gelding, out of Dont Leave Me Kate, has a 25 per cent win record after six wins in 24 starts. Three of those wins have come this season, in four races.
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