In-form Tamworth galloper Sly Lu represents jockey Robert Thompson’s best recent chance to add to his record tally of Jungle Juice Cup winners at Cessnock.
The Mark Mason-prepared five-year-old heads into Tuesday’s Jungle Juice Cup (1350m) chasing his fourth successive win.
Evergreen Thompson, with close to 3660 career winners – an Australian record – has won the cup seven times in its 30-year history.
But his last win was aboard Beaucastel in 1994.
“Sly Lu is my best chance to win the cup again in the past six or seven years,” Thompson said. “He should give me a good ride.
“He’s a nice horse. Mark has done a great job with the horse, looked after him and he keeps him fresh.
“That’s the way he likes to race.”
Sly Lu, a winner of 10 from 22 starts, has posted wins at Tamworth, Gunnedah and a last-start all-the-way success in the Breast Cancer Cup over Tuesday’s course on May 22.
“He won very well last start,” Thompson said.
“While everything went his way, he led and dictated, there was a lot of merit in the win.
“Tomorrow is certainly a harder race. He’s drawn wide (barrier 14), goes up in regard to the better class of horses he meets and carries the same weight (59kg).
“In saying that, the horse is in good order, going well.”
Thompson was aboard the gelding when he worked after the races at Tamworth last Friday.
“It was good work,” Thompson said. “He felt good under me.”
Thompson doubts he’ll have the cakewalk in front handed to him last start.
“There’s a lot of speed tomorrow,” he said. “It’s sure to be truly run race.
“O’Crikey goes forward and he’s drawn outside me.
“Hopefully I can get a cart up somewhere and get some cover.”
The Gary Portelli-trained O’Crikey, an unlucky second last year as favourite to Cruzado after being held up in the home straight, has been allotted top weight of 59.5kg.
Thompson’s cup honour list also includes Top Hat Joe (1982), Action Time (1985), Barzoon (1986), Justifiably Proud (1988), Desalante (1989) and Might Rimu (1993).
AAP TURF
