Images Racing Photograpghy and Trackside Racing.
Clint Lundholm and his team are in for a busy weekend, with the Dubbo trainer set to start up to 13 gallopers across meetings at Mendooran on Saturday and Mudgee and Moree on Sunday.
Lundholm has a handful of leading chances and will target the feature race on each program.
Tells Tails (Ron Simpson, gate 5), who leads a team of four chances at Mendooran, will search for win number eight in the time-honoured Mendooran Cup (1200m).
It’s a race that the Lundholm family has enjoyed a lot of success in, and Clint would love nothing more than to win the $16,000 feature with the seven-year-old Zoffany mare.
“It’s always a race we sort of target, as we have had success there before, and it’s close to home,” Lundholm said.
“That little filly; she is hard to place on her benchmark, as she is not quite up to open company, but her run the other day after a freshen-up was good.
“She was back to a half-mile and was beaten two and three-quarter lengths or something like that, and back up to 1200m at Mendooran, she should enjoy a nice run from barrier five, and she is a nice winning chance.”
Lundholm and his team will then turn their attention toward a massive Sunday.
Racing at Mudgee, recent Narromine Cup winner and champion County Cup campaigner Notabadidea (Rory Hutchings, gate six) will head a team of up to five chances when taking on the Black Nugget Cup (1400m).
The eight-year-old has been a grand old stager, winning the 2021 Coonabarabran Cup and 2022 Gilgandra Cup, and Lundholm believes his gelding has returned to his best form.
“He had a really good first preparation with me; he came out of the city and won his first race with Elyssa (Meredith) in a (1300m) Benchmark 58 and then went on to win those cups,” Lundholm said.
“His benchmark finally caught up with him, and he had a niggling issue and went to the paddock because he wasn’t firing.
“This prep, he has come back well and is sound as a bell, and he’s now strung a few good races together.”
Following a 29-week spell, the old stager returned in good order, winning a 1400m Benchmark 74 Handicap at Wellington in May.
He followed that up with good runs in July, finishing third in the XXXX Gold Cup at Mudgee and sixth in the Narrandera Cup before running a good fourth in the Forbes Cup earlier this month.
Last time out, Ron Simpson guided Notabadidea to a decisive win in the Narromine Cup (1600m).
While Lundholm rates his galloper’s chances at Mudgee, he admitted it was a stepping-stone to the Dubbo Cup on September 10 and the Coonamble Cup on October 8.
“It’s exciting to have the horse running well and heading into those types of races,” Lundholm said.
“On his form, he can run a big race at Mudgee, but he is stepping back from a mile to 1400m, and the run is more so for the Dubbo Cup because he’ll get into that race on his benchmark.
“Plus, I’m a Coonamble boy, and good family friends from Coonamble own him, and that race should fall nicely into place.”
Headlining a massive Sunday of NSW country racing is the Moree Cup Showcase program, and Lundholm will send up to four gallopers to the races, with recent purchase Macchina Volante (Braith Nock, gate 13) contesting the $55,000 Moree Cup (1400m).
Formerly trained by Stewart Campbell, the now seven-year-old won the 2021 Murwillumbah and Lismore Cups, among other excellent victories during his 29-start, seven-win career.
The Hinchinbrook gelding returned from a 10-week let-up when finishing an excellent fourth to the Wayne Oakenfull-trained Aytobe in the Gwydir Handicap (1300m) at Moree on August 3, and Lundholm believes he is in for a big run.
“The horse turned up to us in good order, and he is a lovely big horse, and he seems to be sound,” Lundholm said.
“His run at Moree was super, and he was meant to go to the Narromine Cup, but he went amiss and cut himself, so he missed a run.
“He’s now had a freshen-up, and he’s back to the 1400m, and yes, he has that wide alley, but if he has some luck, he’s a chance for sure.”
Getting runners to Mendooran, Mudgee, and Moree over two days is no small feat.
Lundholm admitted there would be some challenges associated with spreading the team out at Western, Central Districts, and North West meetings on the same weekend.
“It sure does put a lot of strain on the team,” Lundholm said.
“I’ve got enough staff to manage the horses, but it’s tough once you start splitting up for two or three race meetings on the same weekend.
“We’ve got 45 horses here in training, and to get to the races on Saturday and Sunday, there’s a lot to work around, but that’s what we’re in the game for.
“If anything, it’s really exciting to have a big team in and live chances in the Mendooran Cup on Saturday and the Black Nugget Cup, which is the feature at Mudgee, and the Moree Cup on Sunday.”
With so many chances, readers can keep updated with Lundholm’s runners here.
For Mendooran fields, click here.
For Mudgee fields, click here.
For Moree fields, click here.
