Wodonga Cup top weight Tashbeeh has drawn wide at barrier 10.
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The David Hayes-trained five-year-old is one of two fancies in Friday’s race who drew wide, along with 2015 Albury Gold Cup winner Kourkam at 11.
“Barrier 10 is a tricky one at Wodonga, because it’s such a tight little track,” Lindsay Park racing manager Rayan Moore said.
“There’s so much speed early and he likes to settle mid-field.”
Tashbeeh has had 29 starts for six wins, and just over $400,000 in prizemoney.
“He’s been a very consistent horse, who ran fourth in the Group One Memsie Stakes at Caulfield,” Moore said.
“He’s carrying a fair bit of weight at 60.5kg, but he’s carried up to 60 before.”
Five of the six top weights will contest the $110,000 race over 1590m.
The Tony McEvoy-trained Kourkam had a last-start sixth placing, while Entre Nous, from the Gerald Egan stable in Mansfield, won less than a fortnight ago and also claimed the $80,000 Wangaratta Cup in March.
‘He’s in good form, and is fresh,” Egan said.
“He was back second-last early in his last run but got a nice run home.
“Jye (McNeil) rode him well, but he won’t ride at Wodonga as he was suspended last Saturday at Seymour, so Steven King will ride him.”
The club is delighted with the 13-strong field.
“This is the best field I’ve seen in my four years here,” Racing Wodonga general manager Tom O’Connor said.
“Entre Nous won at Moonee Valley, Tashbeeh has run at group level and we’ve got an Albury Gold Cup winner.”
This is the best field I’ve seen in my four years... Entre Nous won at Moonee Valley, Tashbeeh has run at group level and we’ve got an Albury Gold Cup winner.
- Tom O'Connor
And while the Hayes’ stable says Entre Nous will be difficult to beat, Moore is wary of the home-town factor.
“You can never discount Brian Cox, it doesn’t matter whether his horses are in form or out of form,” Moore said.
Minnie Downs won the 2014 Wodonga Cup, while Murdoch’s Joy, a year older at nine, boasts six wins.
Baby Jack, meantime, has drawn barrier eight as Cox chases his 12th home-town Cup.
Ballarat trainer Darren Weir’s Profit Share has drawn wide at 12, while the club-owned Providential is coming off a last-start second.
“It’s massive for the club, there are about 80-odd members who own the horse,” O’Connor said.
