Latest News

By John Schell

Dubbo trainer Michael Mulholland will be hoping the Gilgandra Cup form can hold up when his talented galloper Athena’s Lad ($3.90) contests Sunday’s $36,000 Cowra Lamb Cowra Cup (1700m).

Athena’s Lad was resuming from a spell when he hit the line well to finish second in the Gilgandra Cup a fortnight ago behind stablemate Sea Of Flames ($8.50), and the pair clash again in the Cowra feature.

Athena's Lad (Jake Pracey-Holmes; purple colours) narrowly wins the 2022 Cowra Lamb Cup

Nick Heywood was aboard Athena’s Lad when it won at Dubbo before being spelled, and he stuck with the seven-year-old when it ran at Gilgandra. Heywood will again be on Athena’s Lad in the Cowra Cup.

Shayleigh Ingelse was on Sea Of Flames in the Gilgandra Cup, and Jake Barrett takes over the reins at Cowra.

Gilgandra Cup third and fourth placegetters Turgenev ($7) and Not Too Bad ($5.50) will also back up in the Cowra Cup, while Reward Seeker ($16) and Notabadidea ($17) are also coming through the same formlines.

Apart from Athena’s Lad, Heywood has a couple of other good chances awaiting at Cowra.

He will be aboard Sakimarjuel ($5) in the Cowra Bowling Club Maiden Plate (950m) for trainer Scott Collings, and Rubi Air ($3.90) for Brett Robb in the Maree Dykes Memorial Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap.

Sakimarjuel is yet to be placed from five starts, and heads into the Cowra event on the back of a last start sixth at Queanbeyan.

Rubi Air went around at Gilgandra last time out and had no luck when carted wide around the turn when finishing eighth behind stablemate Nannu.

Moruya trainer Natalie Jarvis will send talented sprinter Kattegat ($4.40 favourite) to Cowra to contest the Breakout River Meats Cowra Japan Cup with Billy Owen taking the ride.

Kattegat ran well at his home track last time out when finishing second in the Moruya Town Plate behind Iconic Dame.

He faces a handy field at Cowra with the likes of Merc ($12), Driving Force ($4.80) and Zouologist ($7) going around. Laffing Waters ($15) and Brogans Creek ($7.50) also head into the event as last start winners.

Owen only has the two rides at Cowra, with Up To Me ($4.20) his other mount in the Cowra Motors Dr Geoff Sprigge Memorial Country Boosted Maiden Handicap (1200m) for trainer Garry Kirkup.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Cowra here