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By Greg Prichard

Experienced jockey Jeff Penza is well placed to continue his recent run of success on Chris Waller-trained horses at venues outside of Sydney when he joins forces with Imperialist in the $100,000 Sky International Taree Gold Cup on Friday.

The Taree Gold Cup winner will become eligible to contest the $3 million Big Dance at Randwick on November 4.

Imperialist, considering his record of having won at Group 3 and Listed levels and being placed twice at Group 2, was understandably hit hard by the handicapper for the Manning Valley Race Club’s biggest event of the year.

But champion Rosehill-based trainer Waller clearly believes the race is within the four-year-old gelding’s grasp despite the 61kg he will carry over the 2000-metre distance.

Jockey Jeff Penza (Pic: Bradley Photos).

He could’ve gone with a claiming apprentice to reduce the weight a bit but instead gave the ride to Penza, who has recently ridden winners for Waller at Newcastle on September 20 (Cloisters) and Kembla Grange on October 4 (Happiness).

Bookmakers agree the weight burden doesn’t stop Imperialist from being the testing material in the race and TAB has him as the $3.10 favourite, ahead of Forecaster ($3.60) and Barazin ($3.90).
Forecaster and Barazin are both trained at Newcastle, by Paul Perry and Kris Lees respectively.

Casino Bear, trained by Peter Cheers at Port Macquarie, is considered the best chance from the two Mid North Coast-based runners in the race and is quoted at $7. Gandolfini, trained by Cassandra Schmidt at Port Macquarie, is at $18.

Imperialist has had 16 starts for two wins, one second and two thirds. He has run in eight Group races and one Listed race and his Group 3 win came in the $250,000 Rough Habit Plate over 2000 metres at Doomben on May 17 of this year.

He has had two starts so far this preparation for unplaced runs over 1400 and 1600 metres, both at Randwick, and now he gets up to the middle distance zone that he likes.

His rivals were handicapped on 54.5kg (Barazin) and the rest on 54 and their connections will be hoping the weight pull beings Imperialist undone.

Casino Bear, which won back-to-back races at Newcastle and Port Macquarie before finishing sixth in the Port Macquarie Cup last Friday, will be ridden by apprentice Madeline Owen, who has outridden her claim in the country.

This will be the seven-year-old gelding’s 15th run of his current campaign and it has also been easily his most productive, with five of his seven career wins coming during this preparation.

Three of Casino Bear’s career wins have come at Taree and he can handle all track conditions, with two of his wins coming on heavy surfaces, two in soft going and three on good decks. The Taree surface was rated a Soft 5 on Thursday.

The Sky International Taree Gold Cup day’s eight-race card will also feature the $35,000 Bakewell Haulage Krambach Cup over 1600 metres and the $30,000 Allan Bakewell Memorial Krambach Sprint over 1250 metres.

*First race 1.30pm. Gates open midday. Turf Bistro and bar in the Winning Post Function Centre open 12.30pm. Full TAB and bookmaker facilities. Eight-race card, including Sky International Taree Gold Cup at 4.30pm. Admission $10, concession $5. See Manning Valley Race Club Facebook page for more details.

All the fields, form and replays for Friday's Taree Cup meeting