ALBURY trainer Kym Davison will attempt to complete some unfinished business in the $180,000 Gold Cup with Overdue who added the Albury Mile to his list of victories on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The five-year-old gelding's dam, Overture, loomed as a serious contender for the 2008 Gold Cup before breaking down in her final hit-out at Caulfield.
The mare won four successive races including the Corowa Cup before bowing a tendon mid-race, but courageously hanging onto finish second.
Overdue is her first progeny to make it to the track and is also building up a healthy record leading into the Gold Cup on Friday.
He is exempt from the ballot after winning the Tom Patton Cup at Wagga two starts ago before returning to Wagga next start to run a close-up second.
The $40,000 Albury Mile start was a last-minute call for Davison with Overdue holding off Last Try Wins to score by 1 ½ lengths in a new race record time of 1:36.04.
"When he was that close on the turn I knew he had them," Davison said.
"He is racing in career-best form and just really matured.
"He has just done that well and we put him in as a late nomination.
"He would have had to do a good solid gallop early in the week, but instead we decided to come here where he was a realistic chance of picking up some prizemoney."
Davison also trained and was a part-owner of Overture along with Greg Williams, Max Jolly, Eddie Dunlop and Mick Minogue, who are also among the part-owners of Overdue.
"Unfortunately she went awry," Williams said.
"It's been a long haul to get here after Kym planned all this eight months ago."
Cricket Albury-Wodonga chairman Michael Erdeljac is also a part-owner and took time out from finals action to be trackside to watch the win.
Albury businessmen Dean Luhrs and Rodney Damm are also part of the syndicate of local owners who will be cheering on Overdue in the Gold Cup.
Last Try Wins was first-up from the Wodonga Cup meeting last spring, but trainer Brett Cavanough said six-year-old gelding wouldn't back up on Friday.
Overdue was ridden by apprentice Lily Coombe, but was given little chance by bookmakers who sent her out a $9 chance.
The $4.20 equal favourites Le Cavalier and Melberra Star finished third and fifth respectively.
Albury trainer Kevin Hanley denied Davison a winning double when Cobra Kai won the Benchmark 60 Hcp (1175) from Back To The Bar.
The Hanley-trained Arctic Grey also put in an eye-catching trial for the Adrian Ledger Memorial.
