A race won by his best horse almost a decade ago again looms large for trainer Jeff Englebrecht if I’m In The Money runs well at Randwick on Wednesday.
I’m In The Money is being aimed at the Tamworth Cup and a winning return to city racing will confirm a start in the $80,000 race on April 27.
The mare, a Hugh Bowman mount, will be one of the main chances in the Theraces.com.au Handicap after surprising her trainer with a placing over 1000m at Wyong.
“She sprinted a bit better than I thought she would,” Englebrecht said.
“Blake Shinn rode her and he had never been on her before but he came back and said she is in for a good prep.”
Englebrecht trained Newton’s Rings to win the 2006 Tamworth Cup among the grand galloper’s 22 victories during a career also notable for a near-miss against one of Australia’s glamour gallopers.
A few months after his Tamworth win, Newton’s Rings was beaten a nose by the Australian Derby winner Eremein in the Chelmsford Stakes.
“It was probably just as well he did get beaten that day because he probably would have been weighted out of all those country Cups that he won,” Englebrecht said.
I’m In The Money returns to the Kensington track on Wednesday, the scene of her only city victory when she made her own luck on the way to beating Candy Tuft in a 1400-metre race in January.
“She seems to like the surface … it’s a little bit forgiving for her,” Englebrecht said.
The Kensington track has been lauded for its recuperative powers since it was reopened last year and it’s unlikely to let officials down on Wednesday.
It was rated in the dead range while the course proper was still heavy after a Tuesday morning inspection.
– AAP