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Laure chasing provincial Cups double

3 minute read

An ideal barrier draw has boosted Laure Me In’s Wyong Cup chances.

LAURE ME IN winning the Drinkwise Premier's Cup Prelude at Kembla Grange in Australia. Picture: Steve Hart

Laure Me In will tackle the first leg of what connections hope can be a provincial Cups double when he heads to Wyong for their showcase meeting on Friday. 

The gelding was scratched from last weekend's Premier's Cup (2000m) at Kembla Grange after he drew wide and has come up with a much kinder gate in six for his Wyong Cup (2100m) bid. 

Trainer Matt Dunn feels the race will be an ideal fit as Laure Me In heads towards the Newcastle Cup (2300m) on September 17. 

"We had in the back of our mind to maybe go to the Wyong Cup with him anyway and it still gives him a two-week space to Newcastle," Dunn said. 

Laure Me In already has one country Cup trophy after capturing the Scone feature in May and he narrowly missed adding another when runner-up to Purrfect Deal in the Grafton Cup in July. 

He was given a freshen up after that performance and cemented his place on Dunn's carnival team with a 2000 metre victory at Kembla Grange last start. 

A field of 16 has accepted for the Wyong Cup and in an open betting race, Laure Me In and import Dashing Willoughby are equal favourites at $6. 

Dashing Willoughby finished down the track in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups when prepared by Andrew Balding but has since been transferred to Chris Waller and has shaped well in two recent trials. 

The Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) has also attracted a quality field led by the locally-trained Great News, who is an early favourite despite drawing awkwardly in barrier 14.