ALBURY warhorse Eddy Diablo will make a third consecutive Albury Gold Cup day appearance on Friday after winning the $5000 Robbie Saunders Memorial Hcp (1400m) at Berrigan on Saturday.
Dropping down from benchmark 60 to benchmark 50 conditions, cautious punters sent Eddy Diablo out a $4 equal-favourite with the John Maxwell-trained Simon Town.
The duo shot clear of the field down the straight but Eddy Diablo was too strong, winning by one length with roughie Broadarrowbilly ($14) a further two lengths away in third.
It was Eddy Diablo’s first win since October last year and the six-year-old’s 18th run in a campaign that started in August.
The Kevin Hanley-trained gelding ran second in the Rating 72 Hcp on Gold Cup day in 2008 and ninth in last year’s Albury Gold Cup behind Cape D’Amore.
He will chase an elusive victory again on Friday in the $20,000 Benchmark 60 (1400m).
“We freshened him up for 10 days a couple of weeks ago and it really paid off (at Berrigan),” Hanley said.
“The six-day turnaround between Berrigan and Albury won’t bother him. It looks a nice race for him.”
Nominations for the $170,000 Albury Gold Cup (2000m) are finalised today.
Several city gallopers could be among them including Parramatta Cup winner Deltona, Victoria Gold Cup winner Old Jock and Peter Moody-trained duo Bertonic and Testa Jesta.
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