WARRNAMBOOL trainer Lindsey Smith has his team firing and will be hoping to continue his winning run when he lines up his smart six-year-old Mr Money Bags in the $100,000 Mildura Cup at Sandilong Park on Friday.
The Mildura Racing Club had to transfer its cup meeting last year to the Swan Hill track and while the club is grateful to be able to hold its feature event of the year at its home track, it will unfortunately be conducted without a crowd due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Cup has once again attracted a quality field and trainer Smith will be hoping to achieve another country cup win this season with Mr Money Bags. He teamed with jockey Dean Yendall to win this year’s Swan Hill Cup with Adelaide Ace.
“Everything is aligned for him for the race with the barrier (2), weight (56.5kg), distance (1400m) and jockey (Yendall), who knows his way around the Mildura track,” Smith said.
Mr Money Bags has only had three runs since joining the Smith stable late last year during his previous campaign and he found winning form straight away as two of his three starts for his new stable were smart victories at Flemington and Warrnambool.
“He came to me during his preparation and, after he quickly won a couple of races, I decided to give him a well-earned spell,” Smith said.
Mr Money Bags has had two jump-outs in preparation for his resumption in the Cup and Smith believes he is ready to run a big race.
“The horse is in good order and the Cup is his level of race. Brett Prebble rode him (at his latest trial) and he said the horse was ready to go to the races,” Smith said.
Mr Money Bags has seven wins from 37 starts with earnings of $616,630 and Smith is looking forward to bringing the smart galloper to Mildura.
“It will be the first time I have had a runner in Mildura and the Cup is certainly a good race to win,” he said.
Horsham-based jockey Kendall has formed a top association with Smith and he will be hoping to continue their successful partnership with Mr Money Bags.
Yendall will be aiming for his sixth Mildura Cup win. His previous victories were with Lord Of Brazil (2012), Out Of Coober (2013), Flyingconi (2014), Gingerboy (2016) and Broadway And First (2017).
The favourite for the Cup is Sierra Sue from the Cranbourne stable of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young and the mare has returned to Victoria after a recent Queensland campaign.
Sierra Sue has contested Listed and Group races throughout her 14-start career, including the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm in Brisbane last month and her effort in finishing a 2.2-length sixth behind Brooklyn Hustle was full of merit after racing wide.
The four-year-old returned to racing in Melbourne last Saturday with a top performance to record a fast-finishing fourth behind Bartholomeu Dias.
Sierra Sue recorded her last win at Flemington on October 3 last year when she produced a scintillating sprint to win the Group 2 Lexus Rose Of Kingston Stakes so, on that performance alone, proved she has the class to win a Mildura Cup.
More Than Exceed from the Phillip Stokes stable at Pakenham will be defending his Mildura Cup title after winning the event last year, which was held at the Swan Hill circuit and he is ready to run a big race after finishing fourth behind in-form Midships in the Gold Topaz last month.
Street Tough is a former Tasmanian galloper who is now in the care of the Will Clarken stable at Morphettville in South Australia. The six-year-old has finished second at his past two starts at Murray Bridge and he will also be a winning hope in the Cup if he contests the race as he is also entered to run in a race at his home track.
SELECTIONS
1: Maree De Lune, Chadstone, Hot Suspect, Bannerton
2: Colsridge, Sodalicious, O’Whatapicture, Sun Perle
3: I’m A Bronco, Come On Eileen, Sabaku, Rubiland
4: Zoutons, Pravro, Bonjour, Rolling Moss
5: Zakurak, Madam Superior, Zoujea, Starden Lass
6: Excelleration, Irish Butterfly, Kings Full, Killourney
7: Mr Money Bags, Sierra Sue, More Than Exceed, Street Tough
8: Blood Sweat Tears, Keep On Bopping, Surin Beach, The Talking Toff
