Cody Morgan has indicated a Walcha Cup tilt could be on the cards for Aytobe following the gelding's win in Saturday's Glen Innes Services Club Glen Innes Cup (1400m).
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Ridden by Matt McGuren, the seven-year-old - the $1.80 favourite - found something extra in the final metres to hold off last year's winner Amazingly and notch his third career win and first since July 2021.
In the mix in his previous three starts, placing second, third and then fourth at Inverell on New Year's Day, everything aligned for Aytobe on Saturday.
"Talking to Matt after the race, everything all lined up really well for him, he had a good weight, a good barrier," Morgan said.
"He's run plenty of places in good races and been competitive in highways on a few occasions but needs everything to go his way."
"He was just lucky to get a good ride yesterday, it has probably proved the difference."
A pretty much front-running effort, Morgan said he left it up to McGuren "to ride it how he saw it" but admitted he was a bit concerned the last 50m as Amazingly came at him with Aytobe relatively untried over 1400.
"But luckily enough he found enough," he said.
He wouldn't have "wanted it to be much further" though.
With the six day turnaround from Inverell, Morgan had given the gelding a pretty "cruisy" week.
"He went out to spell on the farm for four days, sat in the paddock out at Kootingal at mum and dad's," he said.
"I joked with them after the race whether they want the training percentage."
He said the plan for him now is probably the Walcha Cup on February 3.
"That'd probably be a good race for him," he said.
Aytobe's win made it back-to-back Glen Innes Cups for McGuren after piloting Amazingly to victory last year, and a meeting double for Morgan with Sookeysie breaking through for her maiden win in the opening race of the day - the Sherbert Beauty Co Maiden Plate (1000m).
"That was good," he said.
"She ran third last start before that so it was good to get the maiden win for her."
