Local hope Mincin’ Machine, Group 2 Black Top finalist Miner’s Moss and Anthony Azzopardi’s recent Group 1 National Sprint finalist Jack Kade head the contenders for this Friday’s Group 3 Charcoal Inn Casino Cup (484m).
This year’s Flying Amy Classic winner Elusive Desire and Group race placegetters Pace Ventura, Magic Display and Kidatee Croc also feature in the four heats of the $22,500-to-the-winner series.
Miner’s Moss (box three) goes in the first heat fresh from his eye-catching but unsuccessful crack at last month’s Group 2 Black Top.
Mathew Reid’s veteran won his seventh consecutive race with a terrific 29.48 win in the Black Top heats, but was badly checked in the final and finished eighth.
His main opposition will come from Jack Kade (box five), who warmed up for this series with a 28.05 win at Casino earlier this month.
That was slightly quicker than Miner’s Moss’ best time and with the Azzopardi kennel flying at the moment, he looks the early pick in the race.
The Tom Tzouvelis-trained Dashing Canute looks the pick in heat two wearing the red rug.
He scored a 27.90 victory from box one at Casino last Friday and a repeat would make him hard to stop.
Charlie Lyndan (box two) scored a 27.97 win last Friday and has a terrific record at Casino, but is much better when drawn wider.
Bradley Northfield won the cup last year with Bralyn Stalker and he has a strong contender this year with Jessie Small who runs in the third heat.
She had a mixed record at Casino until recently but has started firing, winning three of her last four starts at the Northern Rivers track.
Also competing in the third heat is Apatite (box seven), who has won her last three starts but has only had one successful run over the 484m at Casino and looks better suited over longer distances.
The Pat Lavis-trained Mincin’ Machine (pictured) jumps from box five in the fourth heat and could very well be pick to take out the cup.
He scored a 14th win in 34 starts here last Friday in 27.91, has won five of his 10 visits here and is in great form, with four wins from his last seven starts.
Let It Develop, another Azzopardi contender, and the locally-trained Elusive Desire look the biggest threats in this heat from boxes seven and eight respectively.
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