Canberra trainer Matthew Dale will chase a fourth Snake Gully Cup on Friday when he unleashes classy mare Sausedge on the tight-turning Gundagai circuit.
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The five-year-old daughter of Cox Plate winner Shamus Award is set to start as favourite in the $100,000 feature over 1400m after returning with a sound fourth placing at Randwick late last month - her first start since a respiratory operation.
Sausedge needed surgery to fix an entrapped epiglottis following her autumn campaign which followed a seventh placing in Benchmark 88 grade at Rosehill.
"That was something that just plagued her and she needed to go off and have an operation, ultimately she's had that operation and all the signs are positive out of it," Dale said.
"I thought that was a good positive run first-up and she certainly hasn't gone backwards. All things being equal she should be competitive again."
The mare will carry 56kg with in-form hoop Blaike McDougall aboard for the first time as Dale looks to claim the race for the first time in eight years.
Lebrechaun saluted in 2012 to give Dale his third success in the famous country cup, following previous triumphs with Gunfire Messiah in 2006, and Happy Finish (2009).
Sausedge's biggest danger looks to be the Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott-trained Regal Stage, which comes into the race off a Melbourne Cup day win over seven furlongs at Randwick.
Goulburn star Irish Songs also lines up, having run eighth two runs back in the $1.3m Kosciuszko.
"He [Irish Songs] has won at the track, Regal Stage up there punching for Gai," Dale said.
"It's quite often one of those races where you could run it a couple of times and it comes down to luck and getting the break at the right time too. It's that style of race and I think that'll be no different tomorrow really.
"It's always a good, honest country open race that a lot of the locals love to be involved in, me included, and it's good to have a chance."
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Dale said a good start would be crucial on the tight-turning track, famous for its sharp right-hand chink halfway down the 300m straight.
"She's quite well placed at the weights and a good solid run in an open company race like this looks to suit her," Dale said.
"She looks better on a big open track as opposed to Gundagai but that's a challenge for a lot of horses. It's the right race at the right time so we're happy to be going.
"It's pretty much how she jumps is the biggest question mark. You've still got to ride her in a certain way, she doesn't like being hustled and bustled too much early so we've got to be mindful of that as well.
"If she jumps clean enough I think she's a chance."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
