Local trainer Stephen Farley says a victory in Friday’s Listed Wyong Gold Cup would be “nearly as good” as winning this year’s Group One Stradbroke Handicap.
Farley, who grew up and has trained at Wyong on the NSW central coast throughout his 10-year career, saddles up Gazza Guru in the 2100m feature.
“It (winning the Wyong Cup) would be nearly as good as winning the Stradbroke, I’d say,” Farley said.
“It would be just as big a buzz.”
Gazza Guru finished sixth in last year’s Wyong Cup, won by Hawk Island, but Farley is adamant the seven-year-old gelding is going better this time around.
Farley is preparing himself for a big three days with the two-day Wyong Gold Cup carnival on Thursday and Friday to be followed by the new-season return of stable star Sincero in Saturday’s Group Three Tramway Handicap (1400m) at Randwick.
Sincero hasn’t started since claiming the $1 million Stradbroke Handicap in Brisbane in June, Farley’s first success at Group One level.
“At the (Wyong) Cup carnival I think I’ll have eight runners over the two days and Sincero is coming back on the weekend so it’s a big week,” Farley said.
Gazza Guru has had three starts leading into the Wyong Cup.
He ran an encouraging sixth first-up over 1200m in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes before taking out the South Grafton Cup (1600m) second-up.
After finishing third in the Coffs Harbour Cup (1800m), Gazza Guru was favourite for the Taree Cup (2000m) on August 21 but the meeting was abandoned due to wet weather.
“It’s not ideal (missing the Taree run) but I gave him a barrier trial at Newcastle last week to keep him ticking over,” Farley said.
“I’m happy enough with the horse, I would have loved to have had that run over 2000 metres but you can’t control the weather.”
Last year Gazza Guru’s Wyong Cup lead-up featured a sixth in the Coffs Harbour Cup before a victory on the Kensington track in Sydney and a third at Taree.
“At the same stage he’s going better this time around,” Farley said.
“His run at Coffs was better, it just would have been nice to get a guide at Taree.”
Tommy Berry rode Gazza Guru in last year’s Cup and has the ride again on Friday.
The Wyong Cup meeting also features the running of the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) for fillies and mares.
AAP TURF
