Cootamundra tips: Trainer Tim Donnelly’s import County Kilkenny can start a Country Cups campaign on a winning note
Progressive imported stayer County Kilkenny has been racing well in Sydney and now heads to Cootamundra chasing success in the Cup.
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Aptly-named Irish import County Kilkenny will contest the first of what could end up being a steady stream of ‘country cups’ when he heads to Cootamundra for the town’s annual feature.
The Tim Donnelly-trained chestnut is the $3.80 Cootamundra Cup favourite with TAB Fixed Odds and for good reason.
County Kilkenny was runner-up in consecutive Highways prior to his narrow win on the Kensington track on August 14.
His most recent raceday outing was at the midweekers again where he clocked in down the order in the field of seven but left with his reputation intact.
“He didn’t have a great run in the race the other day at Canterbury,” Donnelly explained.
“Things just didn’t work out.
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County Kilkenny holds on for the win at Randwick!@MollyBourke7@tpd_racingpic.twitter.com/DftJe4dPp7
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 14, 2024
“It was the first time up to 1900m and they slowed the pace going out of the straight the first time and he got a bit keen.
“It was a real on fence day and in the end, he got going out wide, and he actually hit the line okay really for the run he had.
“The horse that ran third (Newfoundland) came out and won on Wednesday at Warwick Farm.”
County Kilkenny has been ridden at his last three starts by Molly Bourke who takes on the eight-hour round trip from Sydney to Cootamundra for their Cup quest.
“I told Molly at Canterbury that I was going to Cootamundra and she said yeah, I will come and ride him which is good,” Donnelly said.
County Kilkenny has a tidy and expanding resume of four wins and four placings from his 15 career starts.
“He is the sort of horse that is going to keep getting better too,” his trainer said.
“Both his half-brothers, Wicklow and Waterford, their best years were when they were five-year-olds and this bloke is five now.
Lunar Shoes leads all the way and is too good! 🌙🩰
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 3, 2022
Aided by a nice ride from @nisbet_kayla for the @timpdonnelly stable.@TwinHillsStudpic.twitter.com/t62UV2qBSt
“He has been up for a long time but he doesn’t handle the heat well so we will keep him racing now, miss all the hot weather and he’ll resume and go through the autumn and winter again next year.”
County Kilkenny will have company on his journey from Wagga with stablemate Lunar Shoes who is favoured to take out the South West Slopes Bank Benchmark 58 Handicap despite being the first time he has run over 1400m.
“He won over 1300m as a two-year-old on a Heavy track so I don’t think 1400m will bother him and I just think he could control the race in a 1400m better than a 1200m,” Donnelly said.
“He has drawn a good barrier which is important at Cootamundra.
“I have taken the blinkers off so he will be hard to beat for sure.”
Lunar Shoes is a son of Snitzel’s stakes-winning stallion Odyssey Moon out of a mare by Jimmy Choux whose five Group 1 wins included the New Zealand 2000 Guineas/Derby double as well the Rosehill Guineas.
Cootamundra will host a full eight race card on Sunday, starting at 1.35pm with the Cup scheduled for 5.10pm.
SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS
BEST BET
Race 7 No. 8: County Kilkenny
Won on the Kensington track two starts ago. Had excuses in town last time. Has the class edge.
NEXT BEST
Race 3 No. 9: Christmas Star
Stars align to such a degree here that there can be no excuses not to win.
VALUE BET
Race 4 No. 5: Hurricane Thunder
Was most impressive beating Snitzaroo and others at Nowra last start. Well placed again.
QUADDIE
Race 5: 1, 4, 5, 8
Race 6: 2, 4, 7, 13
Race 7: 8
Race 8: 2, 4, 7, 13
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Molly Bourke heads to Cootamundra with the Cup in her sights aboard County Kilkenny.
INSIDE MAIL - COOTAMUNDRA
RACE 1
Besson has finished in the first four at all bar one of his eight runs for Dan McCarthy. Better still, the rare son of Aylmerton is a last start winner at Leeton and won easily too. That was 1900m, this is 1600m and he goes 2.5kg but he still presents as the one to beat. The Right Rein was a narrow but still pretty empathetic winner first-up. Not nearly as good the time after that but this is well within his reach. Clearedhot best of the rest perhaps.
Bet: Besson to win, quinella 1, 2
RACE 2
Impending Harmony is somehow still a maiden after 16 starts. To be fair, she has placed four times and we have seen her get back and run on without much luck or timing here and there. You could make a case to argue that she has been competitive in better fields than this, it is just up to her now to convert. Pat Murphy has K’Gari on the cusp of a win it seems after back to back seconds at Goulburn also in better than the standard Country Maiden fare.
Bet: Impending Harmony to win, quinella 5, 6
RACE 3
Christmas Star has been beaten twice as favourite, once at $1.30 in fact, so she really does owe the punters. We can maybe put the last two losses down to the wide draws each time but she just won’t get a better opportunity to win one than this one. Tommy Flyer was scratched from a race at Moruya on Friday to run here instead. You can see why; it’s right there for the horse that wants it most and this one has trialled up okay. Bubble Tea is yet to miss a place.
Bet: Christmas Star to win
Hurricane Thunder shifts into gear and powers away to win Race 5 at Nowra! 💪@MitchBeerRacingpic.twitter.com/GCYny6MpGJ
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 12, 2024
RACE 4
Hurricane Thunder is a former Team Hawkes galloper who has been with Mitchell Beer and Patriot Bloodstock for his last five starts. The best one was the last one when the son of Russian Revolution finished over the top of his rivals to win in a 58 Nowra. Has placed a close third in a Moruya 66. Puerto Rico could be saved for Goulburn on Tuesday. Respect if here. Miss Mikki Isle is ‘213’, she leaps from a Class 1 to a 66 here but she has drawn well.
Bet: Hurricane Thunder to win
RACE 5
Hobbsy is a lightly-raced five-year-old from the Scott Collings stable. The son of Zoustar has won twice and finished second twice in his 13 career starts. When it is all said and done. Hobby is pretty much a 1400m horse and that’s what he finds himself in here and in good shape too. Ditto most of that for Almost Persuaded who lodged his sixth win when home and hosed at Queanbeyan on Sep 10. Lunar Shoes is so consistent and so well drawn, she has to go in.
Bet: Hobbsy to win
RACE 6
Xceptional Fella was most impressive when he won at Canberra on debut in a 1000m Maiden. He was runner-up there again 14-days later in a Class 1 behind a handy enough horse named Sutton Vella and ahead of Miss Belgium. Couldn’t be any better placed. Miss Mikki Isle is ‘213’ which says a lot about her. The other good number to take into account is ‘3’. That is a great barrier by any measure. Champ De Mars is incredibly consistent and fast.
Bet: Xceptional Fella to win, box trifecta 2, 7, 10, 13
RACE 7
County Kilkenny is getting better with every passing run true to his pedigree and all that. He has finished runner-up in a couple of Highways then won on the Kensington track. Bit unlucky and not at all disgraced at Canterbury last time out. Any rain about would seal the deal. Persian Dancer was fourth to Tim Donnelly’s Cliff House in the Albury Mile last preparation and sent out some really encouraging signs first-up. Louie’s Legacy is in great form.
Bet: County Kilkenny to win, exacta 8 to beat 12
RACE 8
Mentalia (dual acceptor) may well be lining up in this race and hopefully with the absence of Xcpetional Fella who is also down to run in an earlier contest. As for Mentalia, she was $9.50 into $6.50 on debut at Leeton and won beating Valspur. Harder here but with following up on perhaps. Snippety Star is clearly better than the Queanbeyan run. Trialled since. Expect much more from her. Hellbetta and Carma Karma are in the mix.
Bet: Mentalia to win
COOTAMUNDRA
BEST BET
Race 7 No. 8: County Kilkenny
Won on the Kensington track two starts ago. Had excuses in town last time. Has the class edge.
NEXT BEST
Race 3 No. 9: Christmas Star
Stars align to such a degree here that there can be no excuses not to win.
VALUE
Race 4 No. 5: Hurricane Thunder
Was most impressive beating Snitzaroo and others at Nowra last start. Well placed again today.
QUADDIE
Race 5: 1,4,5,8
Race 6: 2,4,7,13
Race 7: 8
Race 8: 2,4,7,13:
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Molly Bourke heads to Cootamundra with the Cup in her sights aboard County Kilkenny.
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