While his focus will be firmly fixed on the huge night of Group 1 racing at The Meadows on Saturday night, highlighted by the Australian Cup Final, the following day the attention of leading race caller James Van de Maat, will swing to Temora in the Riverina.
Already very active industry participants, James and his wife Chloe - who trains their contender - will head up the highway on Sunday afternoon chasing more feature race spoils in the 2020 edition of the Temora Cup.
Recently acquiring the greyhound Silver Man from owner Xian Cheng, the son of Fernando Bale rocketed up the Healesville straight on Monday afternoon in 19.21s, his first start for the husband and wife team, and his first run in three months.
“We were happy with our dog’s trial at Warragul last week, his run home time was really strong and that puts him in great shape for Temora,“ James said.
Silver Man has won eight of his 17 starts and has been placed in another six starts, and has drawn box seven in heat three of five heats on Sunday.
But James and Chloe are not alone. There are plenty of big kennels headed for Temora, and the Cup heats have been described by one pundit as “very hot heats.”
Silver Man will meet Bulli Gold Cup placegetter and fastest qualifier in that series, Ebby Infrared, and the timeless Corleone King, who was fourth in last year’s Cup.
Ample Warning has drawn the red in heat two looking to the defend the title he won last year, but has some stiff opposition in the likes of Galaxy Banner and Bit Flash, a finalist 12 months ago.
And Dennis Barnes is bringing Bathurst Gold Cup winner, Nangar Diva - who won a prelude of the Golden Easter Egg last Saturday at Wentworth Park – and she starts from box four, and faces tough opponents in Kamikaze Cowlick and Flying Ella.
The 12 event card gets underway at 6.24pm on Sunday evening.
The $10,000 to the winner Cup Final will be held on March 8.
