Arguably the local club’s biggest day on the calendar, the Benalla Gold Cup also means the world to the local trainers who dream of etching their name in the history books.
For Benalla trainer Russell Osborne, the memorable nine-race card — which features the Gold Cup (2046m) — raises the atmosphere around the Rose City.
“It’s probably one of the biggest days racing-wise and town-wise,” he said.
Osborne will be eyeing off success in the $125,000 Gold Cup with runner Dancing Duck.
Osborne’s six-year-old mare is rated a 50/1 chance with corporate bookies.
The long-shot has drawn barrier five in the field of eight and faces a steep rise in class.
Speaking before the final field was announced, Osborne believed his mare should relish the wet conditions, with the track rated a Heavy 8 on Thursday.
“She loves the wet," Osborne said.
“Everyone loves to win their home cup.
“In the 2000 metres she’d be pretty hard to beat, and that goes for Noble Nightowl (stablemate entered in race six over 1206m) as well.
“They’re both going in with a bit of form and both ran second at their last starts. Up a little bit in grade, but being on their home track they’re expected to run pretty well.”
Dancing Duck is coming off back-to-back seconds and a win looks certain to be around the corner.
Osborne said his stayer cold give the Gold Cup a serious shake.
“Dancing Duck absolutely loves the wet and you’re probably not going to get too many cups that are going to be wet, so that’s the thing that we’re juggling at the moment — do we have a crack at the surface that she likes, but she might be well outclassed,” he said.
“You only get one chance to have a go at the cup.”
Osborne has nominated a couple of Dancing Duck’s other stablemates for Friday’s race meeting as well.
One in particular is Onemorekimmie.
The four-year-old mare is yet to break her maiden status from six career starts, but Osborne will be hoping that the wins begin on Friday.
Osborne’s runner has drawn the car park, with barrier 17 in race four (1206m).
Onemorekimmie is coming off an eighth-place finish at Wodonga.
The lightly raced sprinter has one placing from five attempts on wet ground, but trialled well on rain-affected tracks last year.
“She’s only had about six starts, ran two fourths and a second,” Osborne said.
“I don’t know whether she quite handles the wet like the other two do, she’ll be there or thereabouts.”
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