Allan McRae is keeping his options open ahead of Friday’s inaugural The Tuckerbox (1000m), with Wednesday’s all-important draw set to determine if the five-year-old contests the $50,000 feature sprint.
There wouldn’t be many horses trained in country NSW faster over the first three furlongs, but the Yass trainer conceded that a good draw at Gundagai often makes and breaks chances over the shorter trips.
“They are going to be quick, and you’re not handing up on a leader’s track, especially in that class of race,” McRae said.
“It will come down to the draw, and if we draw inside six or seven, we’ll go to Gundagai, but if we draw outside, he is capable of leading, but he might get posted, and he will have to burn the candle a bit to find the front.”
The five-time winner from just 20 starts has won races at Wagga, Corowa, Gilgandra, Bedgerabong, and Wellington.
While McRae would prefer to race closer to home at Gundagai, he is considering a trip south to Moonee Valley, with his Bon Hoffa gelding also entered in the 955m Benchmark 70 Handicap.
“He is an absolute machine over those short distances,” McRae said.
“The 955m at Moonee Valley will suit him as well, which is the backup plan.
“At the end of the day, we’ll have to wait and see where we draw.
“He’ll run a good race wherever we go; the long straights don’t suit him, and we saw that at Randwick when he got nabbed on the line, but at Gundagai and Moonee Valley, they are short straights, and he won’t get a stitch.”
Two starts back, Bold Offa finished a good second to the in-form Master Joe in a Benchmark 66 Handicap (1000m) at Goulburn.
Last start, he was well in the market but struggled to handle the track when leading them up before finishing fifth, beaten two and a half lengths in the $35,000 Thunderbolt (1000m) at Queanbeyan.
“We took him to Queanbeyan, but he didn’t gallop downhill,” McRae said.
“Heaps of horses don’t get around that bend, and they struggle, which makes it a strong home track advantage; I’ve put a line through the run.”
According to McRae, the speedy sprinter is ready to fire in Friday’s The Tuckerbox or his Moonee Valley assignment, whichever way connections decide to go.
“He is right up there as good as I’ve had him, and this race at Gundagai has been a bit of a target for him,” McRae said.
“It’s the inaugural one, so it would be quite special to win, and it would be his biggest win.
“He needed the run at Queanbeyan, and it has tightened him right up; he’s definitely up to it, and all we need is that good draw and for him to get out humming and lead with some nice sectionals.”
McRae was yet to settle on a jockey, and he won’t make a final decision until the final fields are published on Wednesday.
On paper, it is primed to be a strong The Tuckerbox, with a good array of country-trained sprinters set to battle, including Lipstick Swing, Fangela, Look Only, Major Time, and Zourata.
The feature sprint complements the $100,000 Snake Gully Cup (1400m), which is a $3 million Big Dance qualifier.
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