TALENTED local mare Sheza Gypsy is at the crossroads as to whether she aims for the $400,000 Country Final of The Championships or goes for a spell, a decision pending after she races at Taree Wingham Race Club's TAB meeting at Bushland Drive Racecourse on Tuesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The five-year-old mare from the Michael Byers stable has been under a fitness cloud but the trainer is confident she will run well in the Saxbys Soft Drinks Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1255m. She won the $100,000 qualifying heat for The Championships Final at Port Macquarie last February and in the final finished towards the rear of the field when her saddle slipped on the big day at Royal Randwick.
Sheza Gypsy had run second and fourth at Warwick Farm before she was scratched on vet's advice when a heavily-backed favourite on her home track on December 20.
"She may have hit her front leg on something or trod on something but a vet and a blacksmith couldn't find anything amiss it is a mystery," Byers said.
He subsequently took her to Warwick Farm again for a 1300m race and was beaten 4.5 lengths by Extensible on January 20.
"She was taken on up front and had nothing left in the tank."
Her jockey Kathy O'Hara was subsequently reprimanded by stewards for not riding the mare right out.
Byers said he felt his charge was "A1" and she will be ridden by Coffs Harbour jockey Raymond Spokes, who has won on her before.
"If she shows her worth, and on her day she is capable of beating this field, then she will have another crack at the qualifier (over 1400m at this track on February 28,'' Byers said.
"If she doesn't do well she will go to the paddock for a rest."
The mare is one of 19 nominations for the race which includes gallopers from Cessnock, Gosford, Wyong, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Wauchope and locally. In-form Taree trainer Bob Milligan has been having plenty of luck with winners of late and he has nominated Alma Girl, Hesco Gold and Money Ad.
All three have been in winning form at their past four starts and their form has been solid in the meantime.
Four-year-old mare Hesco Gold wasn't disgraced in a close finish second to Money Ad and then was sixth (3.7 lengths) to Selita over 1300m at Rosehill on January 2.
The mare has had three starts at Taree for a win and two seconds.
Gosford trainer Fred Cowell has nominated track specialist Bettabet Red and Golden Rule. Five-year-old mare Bettabet Red won at Taree and Muswellbrook before failing in the strong Goulburn Cup and is having her first run since November 22.
She has won four races from seven starts at the track and has won fresh at the distance. There will be plenty of interest in the Winning Post Function Centre Class 3 Handicap over 1255m, a heat of the Rising Star series for apprentice jockeys.
Port Macquarie four-year-old mare Miss Money Talks has only had five starts for the Glen Hodge stable for a win and three placings and has been nominated for this race and Sheza Gypsy's race.
