Port Macquarie, Albury preview: Ideal draw has Fast Talking poised for Cup success

Jockey Ashley Morgan believes an inside draw is key to Fast Talking’s chances in the Port Macquarie Cup while some wide draws throughout the day haven’t dampened his spirits.

Fast Talking looks a great chance in the Port Macquarie Cup. Picture: Grant Guy

Ashley Morgan’s barriers are either wide or on the inside at Port Macquarie on Friday so the Englishman’s rides are going to be key to his horse’s chances on Cup Day.

He’s thankfully riding Fast Talking from an inside gate in the $200,000 Port Macquarie Cup (2000m) where he’ll be able to give him the ideal run in transit as he takes on a few city-trained runners.

“He ran well in the Bathurst Cup and he drops a lot in weight (7kg) for this and is on the minimum,”

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Ashley Morgan (pictured) has a number of good rides at Port Macquarie including Fast Talking in the Cup.

“He’s drawn well (2) and should get a good run from that barrier. He’s won the Country Classic (2000m) over a similar trip so he’s been looking this trip now for a while and I’m sure he’ll run a good race.

“He led last start and I don’t think that was the plan but we can probably sit second or third and sprint home.”

Morgan’s judgment will really come into it when he rides Miss Laquetta in the opening race.

She’s got gate 11 in the 14-horse field and Morgan watched on as she ran a ripping race on debut two weeks ago.

He previously trialled her before she went for a spell without having a run at her first preparation.

“I trialled her and she took massive improvement from her first to her second and she’s obviously done well since because it was a big run on debut at Scone,” he said.

“She came from a long way back on a day where they weren’t making a heap of ground from the back so it was definitely an eye-catching run.

“We’ll be midfield or a bit further back and I’m sure if she gets the right run, she’ll be hard to beat.”

Klopp has barrier 15 in the second race for new trainer John Sprague who trains on the Port Macquarie track.

Klopp was previously trained by David Pfieffer and he’s got pretty good form at the provincials so is well placed on Friday.

Trainer Kody Nestor makes the trek from Dubbo to Port Macquaire with Fast Talking. Picture: Getty Images)

“I trialled him the other day and for a maiden horse I thought he trialled very well. He gave me a good feel against some Open company horses,” Morgan said.

“While he has an ordinary gate it’s not the strongest race and I think he’s hard to beat.”

Nicci Trix has been entered in an Open sprint which is a cracking race so she’ll have to be at the top of her game to get the job done.

She’s won three from eight and was impressive first-up in a Highway race and Morgan said she’s given him plenty of confidence.

“She’s one of my favourites,” he said.

“She’s going to live up to her potential this preparation. She’s done well over the shorter trips and I think now she’s looking for the 1200m.

“It’s a hot race but I think she’s got a lot of ability and she runs well at Port. There’s speed inside us but she’s very quick so if she can get into a nice rhythm in the run, she’ll be strong.”

Morgan is hoping trainer Kristen Buchanan runs Big Surprise in the Hastings Cup on Friday and not a Midway Handicap at Randwick on Saturday because he thinks the seven-year-old can win on the Mid North Coast.

“I really hope he runs here because I think the race is perfect for him,” Morgan said.

“He’s drawn one over 1500m and I’ve won twice on him and this race suits him.”

WET TRACK AT ALBURY POSES SOME QUESTIONS FOR DRYDEN

Keith Dryden has runners at Albury and Randwick in the next 24 hours and he’s backing Dream Runner to step up in town on Saturday in the Cerrone Handicap.

Even if he doesn’t do much at home.

“He’s going well but this is a harder race so it will test us out but at least he’s finally drawn a barrier (2),” Dryden said.

“He normally draws out and has to do a bit of work but this time he’ll get a nice run.

“He’s been a bit of a surprise. He’s been one of the horses who doesn’t work well at all. Another trainer once told me he was glad he didn’t own it after seeing him work.”

“He comes out and performs on race day.”

Dryden has some decisions to make about Friday’s Albury meeting which will be run on a rain-affected track.

Pandering kicks things of for him in the third race and can be forgiven for his eighth placing second-up.

He has drawn the carpark though.

“He’s going well but he just didn’t handle Queanbeyan last time but he’s got a wide gate now,” Dryden said.

Trainer Keith Dryden. Picture: Grant Guy

“He’s working well and after getting jammed at the start at Queanbeyan.

“I just don’t want to him to get posted four-wide at Albury.”

Poker Dice runs in the fourth and it’s just his third career run after he debuted in the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes as a two-year-old.

He was no match for Kalashnikov and will find Friday’s Maiden Plate (1400m) much easier.

“He’s a nice horse who is going to want 2000m but he’s a half-brother to a horse called Magnifier in Queensland who has won half a million,” Dryden said.

“He’s a nice little baby who is working his way up and he could handle a wet track. I’ve got high hopes for him later in his career because he’s shown me enough on the track.

“He can run time. Obviously, he just wasn’t strong enough in the Black Opal but he had a day out after the race dropped away and it was good for the owners.”

Kermatin is one of Dryden’s best hopes if she runs in the seventh while Oh No Mikki shoots for three-straight in the last.

“He’s a nice horse who is coming along well,” Dryden said.

“I might scratch him if it’s really heavy. I’m toying with the idea of what I do with him but he’s doing everything right at this stage. I’ve got some decisions to make.

“He’s going to be a better horse next time in.”

Originally published as Port Macquarie, Albury preview: Ideal draw has Fast Talking poised for Cup success