Tamworth trainer Cody Morgan believes that former Group 1 contender Goldstream is not a spent force -- but is not optimistic about his chances in Friday's $100,000 Muswellbrook Gold Cup (1500 metres).
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If the seven-year-old gelding -- the winner of seven of his 27 starts -- does not improve sufficiently, Morgan says it could be his last campaign.
But Morgan said the horse, the winner of $722,000 in prize money, "definitely" had more to offer and "looked really well".
"I don't know if it's tomorrow [Friday] at 61 [kilograms] but I'd like to persevere over the next six weeks, because his track work is really good," he said.
Goldstream, the second top weight in the race and drawn in barrier two, has not won since taking out the $100,000 Schweppes Oaks 6th May Handicap (2400m) at Morphettville Park on April 29, 2017.
Morgan's first race with the horse -- out of Italy and an Italian Derby winner -- was when he finished third over 1000m at Gunnedah on December 8. Since then Goldstream has not placed in five starts including a last-start ninth at Doomben on Match 8.
On Friday he will be ridden by apprentice Samantha Clenton. As of late Thursday morning, Goldstream was at $46 to win, according to Sportsbet.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrain Bott-trained Sondelon (James Innes Jr) was the favourite ($2.45).
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Friday's race is a continuation of a purple patch for Morgan that started on December 23 when Moobi won a Highway Handicap at Warwick Farm, and included Unbiased's win at the Tamworth Country Championships qualifier on March 10.
On April 6 Unbiased will contest the Country Championships final at Randwick. Morgan said: "It's nine days to the final in Sydney. So, yeah, it's hard not to have one eye on it, at the moment, with Unbiased."
Muswellbrook Race Club is also in the midst of a purple patch. For the first time in its history, it will host two Racing NSW Country Showcases in the space of six days -- the Muswellbrook Gold Cup following Sunday's Country Championships Wild Card.
"March is a huge month for us," said Duane Dowell, MRC general manager.