Pauper leads local trainer's embarrassment of riches

Local trainer Natalie Jarvis may only have 20 horses in her stable, but half of them will line up at Sunday's rescheduled Moruya Cup meeting.

“We always try to have as many runners as we can at home,” Jarvis said. “Our horses run well here and we like to target the Cup meetings. We had a large number of horses lined up to run at the meeting in January but it was obviously postponed with the bushfires.”

With a sire like Exceed And Excel (pictured), it's no wonder Pauper is highly rated by trainer Natalie Jarvis.Credit: Getty

Across Jarvis’s big team there is arguably none more interesting runner than four-year-old chestnut Pauper in the Class 3 Handicap over 1200m, in which he will meet consistent stablemate Heavenly Thunder. The Godolphin cast-off has been an astute pick-up for Jarvis, winning two on the bounce in October before a slow getaway in a Highway Handicap cost the son of Exceed And Excel any chance of fighting out the finish.

“He is going really well," Jarvis said. "He has had two jump-outs, which are on our website if anybody wants to look at them, the most recent one was very good and we’re happy with how he is coming along. “We would have liked a better barrier, as is the case with most of our runners on the day, and it’s a strong race but we still think he is a winning chance.”

Such is the stable’s opinion of Pauper is that they had originally pencilled in January’s Moruya Cup for him but had to change plans with all of their horses sent out to spell instead. The stable will be hoping Kattegat will be just as a successful purchase, being another ex-Godolphin horse that arrives still a maiden.

“We’re been very happy with how he has been going. He is a really nice horse but we’d be more confident if he had drawn an inside gate,” Jarvis said. “Off the work he has done at home and off his previous form, he does look well placed.”

Airfree has gained a start in the Moruya Cup while Jarvis is hopeful that last start winner Boom And Zoom can now string two together. “She put in a number of good runs before winning last start, has been performing really well for a while now," Jarvis said. "And although stepping out of maiden grade, she is really tough for a young filly."

BEST BETS

Race 5: (7) Designer Dance

Race 6: (6) Pauper

VALUE

Race 7: (3) Leami Astray

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