EXCITING filly News Girl headlines the list of nominations for what is shaping as the strongest line-up ever to contest the $150,000 SDRA Country Championship Qualifer at Albury on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
News Girl alongside the Scott Spackman-trained O’ So Hazy were the highest rated gallopers among the 24 nominations.
Both have a rating of 78.
O’ So Hazy won the qualifier last year on her home track before running the race of her 18-start career when third in the $486,000 final at Royal Randwick.
News Girl has created a huge impression in her short five start career after finishing runner-up at her two most recent starts at Caulfield behind the ultra smart filly Crack The Code.
However, trainer Geoff Duryea is keeping his options open with News Girl and has also nominated for races at Moonee Valley on Friday night and Caulfield the following day.
“My filly has pulled-up well after her Caulfield run,” Duryea said.
“But we will wait for the barrier draw before we decide where we will head.”
News Girl is the shortest price of the SDRA nominations for the final at Randwick on April 6 and is quoted as a $15-chance.
The Gary Colvin-trained Forever Newyork and Ron Stubbs-trained Yousay Bolt are also prominent in the market at $26.
Forever Newyork ran second in the qualifier two years ago before finishing near the tail of the field in the final.
The five-year-old gelding scored the biggest win of his career with a last-start victory at a Canterbury night meeting earlier this month.
Yousay Bolt is a lightly raced galloper with three wins from seven starts.
The five-year-old mare finished runner-up in a $75,000 TAB Highway Hcp at Rosehill in November.
Albury trainers are well represented with Andrew Dale (Arthur Porrit), Donna Scott (Bennelong Dancer, Hail The Hero), Jodie Bohr (Footmark), Kevin Hanley (Hurry Up Harry), Ron Stubbs (Lost Command, Yousay Bolt) Mitch Beer (Nicconi Poni, Shinseki), Norm Loy (Squaw Valley, Waiting For A Mate) and Graham Hulm (Supplyzing) all among the entries.
Dale, Hanley, Beer and Hulm will be sweating on a high attrition rate to gain a start with their gallopers low in the order of entries.
The final field comprises 16 runners plus four emergencies.
CHAMPIONSHIPS NOMINATIONS
News Girl (Benchmark rating) 78, O’ So Hazy 78, Forever Newyork 77, Takookacod 77, Bulala 75, Bennelong Dancer 73, Footmark 68, Squaw Valley 67, Lost Command 65, Yousay Bolt 64, Waiting For A Mate 64, Lady Mironton 64, Tully Toff 63, Son Of Spartacus 63, Fashion Tip 62, Rock ‘N’ Roller 62, Arthur Porritt 61, Landmine 61, Supplyzing 61, Hail The Hero 59, Find My Tail 57, Hurry Up Harry 56, Nicconi Poni 56, Shinseki 55
- Receive our daily newsletter straight to your inbox each morning from The Border Mail. Sign up here.
