Wangaratta trainer Dan McCarthy will trek into NSW on Sunday with a plan to win the $32,000 Cootamundra Cup (1600m) with his old stager, Classy Joe.
His nine-year-old is a Country Cup stalwart, having won ten races and placed 16 times to earn over $300,000 in prize money.
A versatile staying type, the Danerich gelding has won from 1200m to 2250m, and Sunday’s Cootamundra Cup will be his starting point this preparation when first up from a nine-week freshen-up.
The end goal is the 2023 Jericho Cup ($304,000), which will be run over 4,600m at Warrnambool on December 3.
“He’s going well, he’s been in work the whole time, and he’s maintained his fitness during that time away from the races,” McCarthy said.
“This is a good starting point; we want to get to that Jericho qualifier at Wagga next month, so we’ll start him over the mile, then string him out in distance and have him ready for Wagga.”
While the Jericho Cup is the goal, McCarthy believes Classy Joe can run a big race.
The old fella won a 1590m trial at Wodonga on September 12, and from gate eight, the Victorian has been put up as an $8 chance with Thunderbet.
“He trialled well at Wodonga, his work has been good, and he worked well this morning (Tuesday), and he goes into the race fit and ready to fire,” McCarthy said.
“He will race well, and whether he can win it or not, I don’t know, but I expect him to run a good race.”
McCarthy has opted for the services of apprentice jockey Holly Durnan, and the two-kilogram claimer will be up to the challenge, having won the Narrandera Cup in July.
McCarthy isn’t the only Victorian targeting Sunday’s feature race at Cootamundra, and entered in the Cootamundra Cup is the Craig Weeding-trained Tullys Gold.
The six-time winner is an $18 chance, and from gate two, Nick Souquet will take the ride.
Despite it being a busy racing schedule in the Southern Districts over the long weekend, with a picnic meeting at Lockhart on Friday and a SKY 2 meeting at Wagga on Saturday, the Cootamundra meeting has been well-supported, with 91 acceptances.
Racing NSW stewards have also given the track the tick of approval, with the course proper a good three until 600m and a soft five from 600m to the winning post.
On Sunday, there will be the TAB, bookmakers, and bar and food facilities, with the gates opening at 11.30 a.m.
There is also a huge fashions on the field competition, offering over $2600 in prizes,
It’s $20 per person to enter, and kids under 18 can get in for free.
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