Racing: Manabar wins Narrabri Cup for Michelle Fleming and 'outback syndicate'

It's the first time the $16,000 feature has been contested since 2019 and saw the nine-year old gelding storm home for his 11^th career win and first since October last year.

The $2.30 favourite was given a beautiful ride, with jockey Matthew Palmer, as per the race plan, settling him just in behind the leaders.

"Just before the turn he started moving him up gradually," Fleming said.

"When they straightened up he kept going and he left them for dead."

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"It was a nice strong finish, that was really good. That's what I want to see him doing."

Nicole Shields' Delchuzy was second with Gavin Groth's Epic Decision another quarter of a length back third.

Fleming was going in confident Manabar was "right to do the job". He had "freshened up nicely" in his work in readiness for dropping back from the 1600m to 1200m.

"I was pretty confident with the horse, I knew he was spot on," the Kootingal-based trainer said.

The concern was how he would handle the track having not raced on the dirt before. But the club had the track in really good condition she said.

It was Manabar's second cup triumph after taking out the Gunnedah Cup in 2020, and mission accomplished for all involved.

"The owners, the outback syndicate they call themselves, had it earmarked because they wanted to win the Narrabri Cup," Fleming said.

She added: "It's nice to nice to go out to those country cup days.

"The crowd and the people; they put on a good show."

She has nothing specific in mind for Manabar now but will look to start to step him back up in distance again.

When Fleming spoke with The Leader, she was about to make her way down to Scone, where she has Sir Donald engaged in the last race of the day - the Lonhro @ Darley Open Showcase Handicap (1000m).

"He'll run good but it's a pretty tough race, a hot field," she assessed.

She will be back down that way again on Tuesday with The Lion racing in the Beaumont Newcastle meeting.

The eight-year-old is coming off a last start fifth at Tamworth's Country Championships meeting but will be stepping up in distance from 1200m to 1350m as Fleming takes a bit of a different tack with him.

"As he gets older it's nicer for him," she said.

"He's always been a sprinter but sometimes it's easier on him because you don't have to go so fast early."

She would like to see if she can stretch him out to 1400m but the main thing is keeping him racing. He is a big horse and "loves his food" so it can be a battle to keep the weight off him.

By the same token he does love racing.

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