Barry Molloy is nearing his 80th birthday, but he hopes to be celebrating a momentous occasion long before April.
The Forbes trainer last had a metropolitan winner in the 1990s and although he was vague on the date, he said it was “a bloody long time ago”.
Molloy is keen to roll back the years when the consistent Lake Lugarno runs first-up at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
A city win would be the ideal pre-Christmas present for Molloy who watched Lake Lugarno run third in her previous two starts at the Sydney track.
Those road trips complement an impressive record for the five-year-old sprinter who cost $10,000 at the Inglis Scone sale in 2014.
Molloy, who followed his father and grandfather into training, was approached by old friends Geoff Boal and the late Noel Leckie to look after Lake Lugarno and the association has paid dividends.
Lake Lugarno has eight wins and six minor placings on her record with a ninth at Narromine in August last year the only time she has finished outside the top three while earning $134,530 from 15 starts.
Success in the bush means she is difficult to place back home, so Molloy will make the five-hour drive to Sydney early Wednesday.
“She makes it easy to get up in the morning. We picked her early as being pretty good. We’ve always had a high opinion of her,” Molloy said.
“The rating she’s got, it’s hard to find races in the bush but I think she can pick up one in Sydney.”
Molloy has booked three-kilo claiming apprentice Jean Van Overmeire for the first time to reduce Lake Lugarno’s to 57kg in the Benchmark 74 Handicap (1000m).
“I think that’s very favourable. Jean rides up this way a little bit and I’ve taken notice of him in the metropolitan and provincial meetings,” Molloy said.
“I think he’s improved. He’s quite a confident rider and she’s foolproof to ride.”
Molloy, who has five in work, said drawing barrier one was another plus for Lake Lugarno who was the TAB’s $5 joint second elect on Tuesday behind the Gerald Ryan-trained All Carisma ($4).
