Country cup contenders battle for Big Dance chance
By John Schell
Big Dance eligibility goes on the line at Armidale on Sunday with a number of handy contenders facing off against each other in the $60,000 Tooheys Armidale Cup (1900m).
The Scott Singleton-trained Vincenzo is topweight for the event with apprentice Ella Drew utilising a two-kilogram claim, while trainer Allan Kehoe has also taken advantage of a two-kilogram allowance with apprentice Shae Wilkes riding his bold front-runner Dreamdeel.
Scone trainer Scott Singleton.Credit: Getty
Vincenzo has been a regular on the country cups circuit of late, having finished fifth in the Dubbo Cup before a third in the Coonamble Cup. He then failed to beat a runner home on the Kensington track before bouncing back to form with a third in the Narromine Cup.
Dreamdeel was back to his best form when scoring an all-the-way win at Newcastle three starts ago over the talented Bestower. He followed that up with a sixth at Canterbury and then ran boldly again when finishing third behind Guzumped at Wyong.
Vincenzo and Dreamdeel will clash with the Jane Clement-prepared Macleay which has also been tackling the country cups. Macleay raced on the speed and attacked the line too well to score a surprise win in the Coonabarabran Cup at huge odds three starts ago, then finished fourth in the Narromine Cup before finishing fourth on the quick back-up at Tamworth two days later.
Nick Heywood takes the ride on Macleay, while Mikayla Weir will partner the other main Armidale Cup contender, the Stirling Osland-trained Point Counterpoint, which ran well when finishing third at Rosehill two starts ago.
Top country jockey Aaron Bullock doesn’t have a ride in the Armidale Cup, but he has a solid book of six other rides.
He will partner the Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich pair of Peninsula in the Armidale Services Club Country Boosted Maiden Showcase Handicap (1400m) and Solitario in the Maria River Cattle Super Maiden Showcase Plate (1100m).
His other rides are Suit Day for trainer Stirling Osland and Mazita for Lyle Chandler, as well as the Patrick Cleave pair of Wild Flash and Nights Inferno.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au