GAVIN Groth is no stranger to winning country cups across New South Wales – but the Moree Cup has eluded him.
The Gunnedah trainer went close with grand old mare Annie’s Street two years ago when the cup meeting was transferred to Tamworth because of a water-logged Moree track.
Annie’s Street finished second at Tamworth, beaten narrowly by Stirling Osland’s Point Counterpoint, and Groth reckons he might have the horse to go one better on Sunday.
Groth saddles up tough campaigner Foreign Brother in the $55,000 Graysonline Moree Cup (1400m), with 2kg-claimer Siena Grima a key booking.
“The horse seems to run well for Siena,” Groth said.
“She does a good job and rides a fair bit for me. I expected him to get more weight – up around the 58kg mark – but I was always going to take 2kg off him.”
Foreign Brother hasn’t raced since winning the 1300m Gwydir Handicap at Moree, which in recent years has been a reliable Moree Cup pointer. The start prior, Foreign Brother was beaten three-parts of a length when second in the Collie Cup at Gilgandra.
“Siena all but won the Collie Cup on him. We just didn’t have any luck. If anything, Siena rode the horse too well,” Groth said.
“He got stuck in behind another runner and got out too late.”
Gunnedah trainer Gavin Groth and strapper Leisel Torrens with Foreign Brother after winning the Gwydir Handicap at Moree on August 8 (Image Copyright).
Foreign Brother rebounded with a strong win in the Gwydir Handicap at Moree more than three weeks ago.
“We’ve since trialled him, just to keep him ticking over between runs,” Groth said.
“It’s been a bit over three weeks since he won at Moree and he just goes better 10 days or a fortnight between runs – he gets a bit big, if we don’t keep him up to the mark.
“He loves hard work, and he loves going to the races every week,” he said.
Foreign Brother, a winner of 10 races and nearly $200,000 prize money, had drawn awkwardly in gate 10 in the Moree Race Club’s signature race.
“It’s not an ideal gate, but it’s not the worst,” Groth said.
“There’s a good chance he’ll come in two or three after scratchings. He’s got the pace to be handy, and at the end of the day, that’s his race pattern – we won’t be trying to re-invent the wheel anytime soon,” he said.
Groth also starts Barrieanna in the 1400m Moree Services Club maiden plate, first-starter Little Surprise in the 950m maiden handicap and emerging stayer So You Knew in the 1200m Boland Petroleum class 1 handicap.
Jake Pracey-Holmes rides Barrieanna and Daniel Northey jumps on Little Surprise and So You Knew.
“This is Barrieanna’s first prep for me and she’s improved every time I’ve put her out on the track,” Groth said.
“I really think she’ll run a race for us on Sunday. She’s stepping up an extra 200 metres, which will really suit.
“Little Surprise is having her first start and I’ve got a lot of time for this horse. She’s a bit new to it all, but has plenty of ability,” he said.
So You Knew, drawn off the track in gate 17, hasn’t raced since mid-March.
“He’s a stayer resuming so I don’t think the gate will worry him too much. He’ll probably get back and work home,” Groth said.
Words and Image: Bill Poulos
WRHS Charity Dinner and Auction
Where: Moree Race Club
When: Saturday, August 31, 2024
Time: 6pm to 11pm
Guest speaker: Ben Hannant
Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1259712
