Moruya trainer Jamie Stewart hopes the ‘Moruya hoodoo’ helps his chances on Friday as he prepares Dream Game for the Club Tuross Cup Benchmark 66 Handicap (1425 Metres).
“Horses on their own track can be hard to beat, particularly here at Moruya,” Stewart said.
“I find the coastal horses and trainers like Rob Price and Nat Jarvis always have a good strike rate, and for the Canberra trainers, it’s a bit of the Moruya hoodoo, and sometimes they leave scratching their heads.”
Dream Game is third-up in the feature event on the program, and apprentice Olivia Chambers takes the ride from gate four.
Stewart was reluctant to declare the four-year-old, but he’s confident the Dream Ahead gelding can run a big race for connections.
“I think he’s a chance; he’s dropped four kilos from that last run, and third-up, he should be ready to strike on his home track,” Stewart said.
“He’s not an easy horse to ride, and Olivia did well with her first ride on him, and from the good draw, they should be up there.”
Dream Game, formerly trained by Matthew Dale, has only had two starts for the stable, and Stewart explained how the two-time winner ended up in his care.
“It sort of worked out well for us,” Stewart said.
“When Matt went from Canberra to Goulburn, he had to cut a few numbers back, and this bloke was basically in his system here at Moruya, and luckily for me, the owners decided to give me a go with him.
“John Price is one of the owners, and he is a good fella to deal with, and I’m always happy to take a horse on for him.”
Dream Game resumed from a lengthy spell in a 1200m Class Three Handicap at Nowra on June 20, beaten only two lengths.
Second-up at Moruya on June 30, he raced in a Country Boosted 1425m Benchmark 58 Handicap and hung on well for third when beaten two lengths.
“First up, he was coming off quite a long break, and he was a bit fresh and did a bit wrong and probably lost it for himself,” Stewart said.
“I was very happy with his second-up run, and Olivia rode him really well from the wide gate.
If he can improve on that again, he is right in that race tomorrow (Friday).”
Stewart has two runners on the program, with Hello Carol (Olivia Chambers) resuming from a 27-week spell in the 1010m Maiden Plate.
Drawn in gate five, Stewart believes the four-year-old – bred and raced by his parents – will only improve on the run.
“She is a home-bred thing for my parents that didn’t do a whole lot last prep,” Stewart said.
“She’s got a lot of natural early speed, and if she can improve on what she did last prep, I’ll be happy with that.
“She has matured physically and mentally, and I wouldn’t give too big a push for her tomorrow, but if she opened up a big price, I’d have something each way on her.”
It’s an excellent eight-race card at Moruya, with the South East club bringing their 2022/23 season to a close.
For fields, click here.
