Trainer Chris Heywood will carry the hopes of a local win in Thursday’s $100,000 XXXX Gold Town Plate (1200m) at Wagga.
Heywood will saddle up five-year-old gelding Leucura (Mitchell Aitken) and the consistent Mitchell Road (Lily Coombe). He also has second emergency Not Too Sure entered but the grey is likely to be saved for a race on Friday, Wagga Cup day.
The Town Plate has been a long term plan for Leucura whilst Mitchell Road’s main aim this campaign was the Country Championships, a race he finished second in the SDRA Qualifier and seventh in the $400,000 Country Championship Final behind Clearly Innocent.
Both Leucura and Mitchell Road come into the event in good form. Leucura was a last start second to Thursday’s rival Count Dekroner in the Town Plate Prelude (1200m) at Wagga on April 17 and Mitchell Road bounced back to his best winning a 1175m Class 3 Hcp at Albury on April 21.
“I can’t really split them,” Heywood said. “It depends on who gets the better run. On barriers I’d have to lean to Leucura. Poor Mitchell Road just can’t draw a gate.”
Leucura came up with barrier seven while Mitchell Road drew barrier 14. Mitchell Road, raced by the Cheney family, finished just 1.7 lengths fourth to another of Thursday’s rivals Hill Spy in the City Handicap at Albury three starts back following his Country Championship Qualifier.
“He’s been a model of consistency this preparation,” Heywood added. “He just can’t draw a barrier in the big races the poor bloke.
“He’s honest and makes his own luck racing forward. It was a nice win last start and you know with him he’ll give you a show at some stage. There’s a long run to the first turn and hopefully he can slot in somewhere without too much effort.”
Leucura, a six-time winning son of Hemingway, has delighted Heywood with his progress since the Town Plate Prelude.
“I’m happy with him, couldn’t be happier,” he said. “He’s had a couple of niggling injuries this preparation, problems with his feet but he’s come good now. They didn’t stop him but were enough to be a nuisance.
“He showed last start he was getting back to his best. This race has been the plan all along. I think he’s just starting to hit his peak.”
Apprentice Mitchell Aitken has had one previous ride on the gelding for a win at Wagga. Leucura is raced by Sydney-based Campbell Anderson and his wife.
“They’re pretty keen to have a horse in a $100,000 race with a good chance,” Heywood added. “For me, winning our Town Plate as a local would mean a lot. It would be a lovely race to win.”
– Racing NSW
