IT’S been 20 years since Craig Martin won the Moree Cup, and he plans to be back in town on Fathers’ Day to add another to his mantelpiece.
Martin last year finished second with Roussos, and he’ll bring the consistent gelding back to Moree on Sunday with a plan to go one better in the 2024 edition.
Roussos was a last-start third at in the Gwydir Handicap behind Foreign Brother and Toulon Factor, both also Grays Online Moree Cup-bound.
“I’ll bring Roussos back for the race. I’ve had a lot of seconds in the Moree Cup, and a lot of beaten favourites,” Martin laughed.
“Roussos is going well, and I was happy with his run at Moree. I wouldn’t read too much into his start before that when second-last at Scone. There was a riderless horse in the race and Roussos ended up leading, which is not what we wanted.
“He went way too hard and you can’t be doing that in that sort of field – they need to relax a bit at some stage,” he said.
Martin is no stranger to big race success, and 2004 was a stand-out year for the trainer.
He won the Moree Cup with Saranac, when ridden by international jockey Zac Purton, and the Grafton Guineas with Beat That.
Saranac, winner of eight races before retirement in 2006, also won the South Grafton Cup in 2005.
It’s been 20 years since Tamworth trainer Craig Martin won the Moree Cup with Saranac. He reckons he might do it again with Roussos on Sunday (Image Copyright).
Martin’s 2004 season was headlined by Stay Seated’s win in the 1400m Listed Gainsborough Three-Year-Old Stakes at Tamworth as well as San Carlo’s win in the Copy Print Express Handicap and Lord Serry Handicap at Eagle Farm.
Martin also saddles up last-start Moree winner Invincible Red in the 1600m class 2 handicap at Tamworth today.
Invincible Red created a big impression when winning over 1600m at Moree on Gwydir Handicap day.
The lightly-raced five-year-old parked off the pace for Ben Looker before working home to win by half-a-length from Madalsa and Zachariah.
“It was a good win,” Martin said.
“I always thought he’d run a mile, and the barrier (2) definitely helped. Ben got him into a good spot without spending a dime.
“Coming to the turn, I thought he was going to sprint away from them. He just whacked away, but he got the job done. That was his second win from seven starts – he’s going well,” he said.
Moree Race Club received 157 nominations for Sunday’s eight-race cup meeting card, including 25 nominations in the $55,000 Grays Online Moree Cup (1400m).
The $35,000 Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service Moree Town Plate (950m) received 17 nominations.
Final fields will be declared at 9am, Thursday, August 29.
Words and Image: Bill Poulos
Grays Online Moree Cup weekend
When: Sunday, September 1, 2024
Where: Moree racecourse
Time: from 11.30am
Marquee packages and cup-eve dinner: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1259712
