FIFTEEN trainers from the Moruya Jockey Club will take their talented steeds down to the Sapphire Coast Turf Club’s double-header at Bega this weekend.
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The main race-day will be on Sunday and there are three runners from Moruya stables in both the $35,000 Bega Cup and the $23,300 Town Plate.
Luke Pepper’s 10-year-old gelding Quichang has been given the top weight in the Cup, at 58kg, but will lose 1.5kg with apprentice jockey James Innes Jnr’s claim.
Pepper also has accepted five-year-old mare Zuccherina and Jay Ford will be aboard.
Pepper was confident of both horses’ chances after good preparation.
“I’m expecting Zuccherina to run well at the mile in its first run at the distance,” Pepper said.
“It’s a nice track for the mile and leads to a good straight.
“Quichang’s been great after he had a little hiccup before the Moruya Cup.
“His record speaks for itself with a win, a second and two thirds in his previous starts in the Bega Cup.”
Pepper’s local rival will be Steve Stephens and his seven-year-old gelding Baldovino, which collected the Adaminaby Cup in late November last year.
Stephens said his preparation was “not bad” but believed the field was difficult.
“It’s a pretty strong, pretty tough race,” Stephens said.
Apprentice rider Winona Costin will Baldovino’s hoop but unfortunately cannot use her claim in the country.
John Marzol’s Grey Drama, Lynda Bundy’s Moorings Siren and Rachel Backhouse’s The Devils Mark will line up in the Bega Town Plate.
Moruya jockey Roly Saxton will be aboard Joe Cleary’s Stolen Kisses and Neil Perryman will ride Moorings Siren.
Moorings Siren and The Devils Mark are second-up after both finished third in previous races, and Marzol’s Grey Drama hasn’t finished in the top-3 in its past five races since a 22 week spell.
Matthew Stephens, Joe Ible, John Peiti, Chris Hensler and Wade Mathie have at least one accepted horse for Sunday.
On Saturday, Mark Macdonald, Kevin Cassidy, Michael Gatty, Bernie Connell, Colbey Hill, Chicka Pearson, Marzol, Peiti, Bundy, Ible and Pepper will have horses racing.
For a full results review check Phil Blake’s Track Watch in next Friday’s Bay Post/Moruya Examiner.