3 minute read
Albury trainer Donna Scott lines up two live chances in Friday's $100,000 Snake Gully Cup at Gundagai.
Since going out on her own in 2017, Donna Scott has been determined to enter a runner in the renowned Snake Gully Cup.
After four years, that ambition has finally become a reality as the Albury trainer is set to make her training-debut in the 1400m Open feature with Takissacod and Oamanikka.
Acquired from fellow Albury trainer Norm Loy in early August, Takissacod has been a model of consistency since joining Scott's stables.
In a run that's included winning two of three starts and a gutsy Warwick Farm placing, Scott couldn't be happier with the form of the five-year-old mare.
"Norm (Loy) was cutting his numbers back and my name was thrown in the hat, we ended up being fortunate enough to get her," Scott said.
"If all horses were like her when you got them it would make life easy.
"It was a bit of an unknown entering her in that (Warwick Farm race). The rating that she had meant we sort of had to throw her in the deep end.
"Rachel (King) was over the moon with her. If she (Takissacod) went back to the city, she (King) wanted to stick with her. Which is always a good sign if that's the case."
Not looked upon favourably by the 'Barrier Gods', Takissacod has drawn wide in 15 on the tight-turning Gundagai track, but Scott is confident that with the amount of speed that is drawn inside her runner, the mare will be able to cross and take a spot stalking the speed.
What does raise a query for Scott is the five-year-old's wet track form. With two to four inches of rain expected to fall on Thursday and Friday in the region, backers of Takissacod may be looking to play elsewhere if the skies were to open.
"I haven't had her for very long, so just looking at her form a little concern is raised," Scott said.
"I would've much preferred to draw five on a good three with her and I thought she would nearly been unbeatable with the way her form has been. But it's not to be and every horse is in the same boat.
"At least she is only over the 1400m, she's had a couple runs at it now and she should be fit enough to get through the Heavy going."
Scott's other live chance in the Cup is five-year-old gelding Oamanikka.
Like the mare, Oamanikka has also been in great form this preparation and presents on Friday off the back of an intrepid last start outing at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.
"It's great to have a horse like him in the stables. There was a slight concern when he had such a big campaign going into The Championships last preparation. He never really had a spell and we kept him up and he just kept producing," Scott said.
"He came out and had a good run at Benalla and then he was able to hold on at Wagga to win. Matty Cahill said he should've really ran fourth, he didn't do anything right, he over-raced and Matty had to get going early on him and hit the front too early."
With Scott admitting to her largely Melbourne-based owners that it was too soon to send the gelding to the paddock in readiness for Autumn's Country Championships, the connections jumped at the idea of sending their son of Oamaru Force south for a start on Cup Day.
"He gave us half a fright down the straight, we all stood up and gave him a bit of a cheer when he loomed there for a bit. He certainly wasn't disgraced but I just think the company told in the end," Scott said.
"As Blaike (McDougall) got off him he said most of the horses in that race had been primed for that one race, whereas we were thrown in as bit of an afterthought.
"Even this is sort of a tough race, but he's good around the local area and he's drawn a bit better than the mare. He should also get through the conditions without a bother."
Both of Scott's runners lead the second line of betting as $5 elects with Tab.com.au