Gunnedah preview: Groth galloper poised for first hometown win

Local trainer Gavin Groth says the absence of potential Kosciuszko runner Compelling Truth on Monday can help Foreign Brother tally up his 10th career win.

Aaron Bullock will ride Foreign Brother and Norman for Gunnedah trainer Gavin Groth on Monday

Trainer Gavin Groth has made a ‘compelling’ case for why his veteran galloper Foreign Brother can post his first win at his home track at Gunnedah on Monday after seven previously unsuccessful attempts.

The son of The Brothers War (the sire of 2024 Country Championship Final winner, Asgarda) has won nine races with a total of 18 placings,

The most recent of those was a second, albeit a distant one, to Mudgee marvel Compelling Truth in one of country racing’s biggest annual features.

“Even though Foreign Brother was beaten a few lengths out there in the Coonamble Cannonball run at Dubbo, that’s a pretty smart horse that beat him and it was a sprint distance so 1400m will suit him better on Monday.’’

So strong was the 2024 Cannonball, that Compelling Truth was inserted at $26 into the TAB Fixed Odds market for the $2 million ATC Kosciuszko (1200m) on The Everest day at Royal Randwick.

“He is an exceptional horse,’’ Groth said. “I’ve seen it’s bum twice now

“Taking it to the Kosciuszko would only be a no-brainer for me.’’

Foreign Brother’s Monday mission is certainly no Kosciuszko but the six-year-old gelding does have a mountain to climb given the wide draw in the Curlewis Cup (1400m).

“The only negative really is the barrier draw but I believe he has got the gate speed to overcome that,’’ says Groth.

“And he gets A. Bullock who speaks for himself.’’

Bullock, Aaron that is, arrives at Gunnedah with commanding lead of 20-wins in the 2023/24 New South Wales Country Jockey Premiership.

His (statewide) New South Wales Champion Jockey title defence is somewhat closer with just 29 days of racing left in the season.

Bullock has a second ride for Groth on Monday namely the former Ingham/Waller stead Norman who finished third at his latest outing in the Talmoi Picnic Cup.

‘’Norman went a few runs without a hard hitout and we just opted to use that as a barrier trial,’’ Groth said.

“And he was unlucky not to win that race. He was boxed in and got out late so his run was really full of merit.

“Home track with A. Bullock on, you’d think he would be a chance.

“There are two Normans, you don’t know which will turn up, but his last few runs have been a bit consistent and he does likes his home track and again, the sting out of the ground won’t bother him in any way, shape or form.”

Groth has two other runners on the Gunendah card on Monday namely Showtime Sassy and another progeny of The Brothers War in Powerstone.

Remarkably, Powerstone remained winless after her first 29 starts yet arrives on Monday on a hat-trick after successive victories at Moree and the Talmoi picnics.

“We gave her a soft time of it after her Moree win for 14-days so I just decided to take her out to this little meeting (at Talmoi) the other week and it was an 800m race instead of trialling her and she’s put another one on the board,’’ Groth said.

“The horses in it were all Class 3s. She had only just won her maiden and carried 63 kilos. so there was a lot of merit to it don’t worry.’’

Sassy Showitme’s own prospects of shedding her maiden status at start number 13 on Monday went up considerably after the speedy daughter of Showtime drew barrier one in the H & M Refrigeration Handicap (1300m).

“ My only concern is that she is better on top of the ground than she is on the soft surface. She deserves a win because she tries hard,’’ Groth said.

KISS ME NEEDS HER GAME FACE ON

Albury trainer Donna Scott says her lightly-raced filly Soo Kiss Me will need all her innate fighting qualities to take out what is arguably one of the best Class 1 races programmed at Corowa in a long time.

Bought by Scott for just $12,000 at the HTBA Scone Yearling Sale in 2022, Soo Kiss Me doubled her price-tag in the space of just three runs at her first preparation.

“Around the stables, we call her ‘The Little Bulldog’ because she loves getting out and doing her work and running along,’’ Scott said.

Monday’s Life Member Len Rhodes Class 1 Handicap (1000m) shapes as an absorbing three-way stoush between the former Sydney-sider Missouk, Scott’s filly, and the boom gelding from Wodonga in Baggage Handler.

“Craig Widdison had Baggage Handler (nominated) at Caulfield (on Saturday) as well and I was hoping he would accept there but he opted to come to Corowa so it is two little speed horses in the same race,’’ Scott said.

“It might be the same sort of run race when Soo Kiss Me won at Corowa.

“There was a horse that went out like a scalded cat and she mowed down it down the last bit and you would image how Craig’s horse runs, it will be setting a nice old pace out in front of us and whether we can catch it or not will be up to the rest of the field.

“She is going to be out there and trying and the instructions will be just to let (Baggage Handler) go and let Soo Kiss Me do her thing and with the weight pull we can catch him on the line hopefully.”

Scott will have three horses facing off as rivals in the Life Member Robert Freyer Benchmark 58 Handicap (1400m) namely Comanche North, Tizso Fab and New Jersey who is on a hat-trick of wins come Monday.

“It is hard to split which one but I think you would have to say New Jersey has got the form on the board,’’ Scott said.

“We won’t get carried away, he has probably been in his right grade but he is up in rating now and he probably deserves to come back and have a crack at a 58. It is just a bit of shame about the gate but with a few scratchings, it is not the worst thing for him.’’

Originally published as Gunnedah preview: Groth galloper poised for first hometown win