It’s Stanthorpe’s cup turn

ARMSTRONG Park in “great order” for town’s annual cup-day program.

Well Sighted races to victory in last year's Stanthorpe Cup for apprentice Brooke Mackie and Toowoomba trainer Tony Sears.

RACING : The spring Southern Downs’ country cups circuit continues on Saturday when feature racing moves to Stanthorpe Jockey Club.

The club this week hosts its annual “dual cups” day meeting where a five-race program is headed by the K & A Building Country Cups Challenge Qualifier/Stanthorpe Cup Base Rating 69.5.

Club president Neil Brunckhorst said Armstrong Park has received 47mm of rain since last Friday, leaving the track in “great order”.

Saturday’s meeting coincides with Melbourne’s Caulfield Cup meeting and the Randwick race day featuring the $14 million Everest.

Twelve nominations have been received for the 1400m Stanthorpe Cup headed in weights by the Matt Kropp-trained Splitz with 60kg.

Kropp is looking for country cup wins on successive Saturdays after capturing his second Warwick Cup victory last weekend with Rosie Posie.

Saturday’s quality cup entry list also includes the Tony and Maddy Sears-trained Mail Escort and recent Tara Cup winner Ritchford for trainer Jackie Crompton.

“With the Everest and Caulfield Cup meetings it’s probably Australia’s richest racing day,” Brunckhorst said.

“It helps add to our day which is shaping up really well.

“We are expecting a crowd of around 2000 people.

“We have 12 bookmakers here for the day which is a good-size ring. The ring is now under cover as well.

“We’ve also received some good cup entries including Mail Escort who is raced by the Harvey family from this area.

“He has handy city form for the Sears stable and looks one of the hardest to beat in the cup which will be called by Paul Dolan.”

The Southern Downs cup focus switches on Saturday week to Clifton where Clifton Jockey Club’s five-race meeting is headlined by the Clifton Cup Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1580 metres.

Nominations for the program close at 11am next Tuesday.

■ JOCKEY Skye Bogenhuber resumes race riding tomorrow after a seven-month injury break.

Bogenhuber returns at Ipswich aboard The Irons in the Colts, Entires and Gelding Benchmark 62 Handicap (1350m).

She has one early ride on Saturday’s seven-race Clifford Park card.