Despite the usual presence of metropolitan, provincial and country competition at Goulburn on Friday, tablelands trainers are giving themselves every chance of keeping some of the loot local.
From a total of eighty-one original acceptors Goulburn trainers are holding over 17% of the runners turning out on their home track.
No race speaks to that stat like the last race on the card, The Goulpro Benchmark 66 Hcp over 1000m.
The locals have seven of the eleven runners engaged in the race with the Scott Collings trained ‘Indicators On’ one of four horses resuming in the race.
The tradesman like tablelands trainer narrowly missed out on what would have been a winning start to the spring when stablemate Bombdiggity went down fighting as runner up at Wagga on Monday.
Collings believes Indicators On is heading in the right direction approaching his first run since late April.
He is pretty forward he has had two nice jump outs here at Goulburn. He is pretty well on the mark for Friday,” Collings said.
Collings índicated’ that the son of War is a horse who always presents well early in a preparation.
“I think the horse should run really well. Last preparation he ran second when first up at Wagga so his first up record is really good.”
Collings likes stepping out on his home track first up with the horse but has had his optimism slightly tempered by a muddy marble.
“Our only downside for Friday that we have drawn a bit poorly in the barrier department.”
The remaining Goulburn quintet in the race includes a “twin throw” at the stumps from Emma & Lucy Longmire with Newton Is Coming (third up) and Dinner Lake (resuming), Show Me The Honey (John Bateman), My Blue Jeans (Danny Williams), Vee Eight (Sue Laughton) and Aldasha (Karen Welch).
Race 5 at Goulburn on Friday is The Goulburn Express Freight Benchmark 58 Hcp, it too has a distinctly Goulburn flavour to it, with three of the ten acceptors trained on track.
Danny Williams has last start country winner Rent A Rock atop the weights whilst Danielle Seib has Mr Kylin () coming off a close-up Highway Handicap result at Randwick last start. Kosciuszko bound Kurt Goldman had accepted with Verdi in the race but will instead target the Doyles On The Beach Class 1 over 1300m. Sam Clipperton will rent the reins for Goldman and the lightly raced gelding was close up when resuming at Canberra recently and has a stout second up record.
The Danny Williams trained Petaluma could give punters an early leg up. She will be the first Goulburn horse on track when stepping out in race three. The in-form Pierro mare aims up for a hatrick on home surrounds after notching two strong wins over a mile at Moruya earlier this month.
Goulburn’s eight race card kicks off at 12.45pm on Friday with the track currently rated a Soft 6 and the rail in the true position.
Photo Credit: Bradley Photos
