Wodonga trainer Liz Aalbers is banking on her only horse in work as she farewells Wodonga’s Gold Cup meeting.
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Veteran Smooth Danish was originally nominated for the Cup, but Aalbers has elected for the next race.
“I looked at some of them (in the Cup) and they’re a bit better, so I’ll try and win the 0-64 (1300m),” she said.
“I thought the Cup might fall away a bit, but it looks alright to me.”
Aalbers has just the two horses now, with the other in the paddock.
The 75-year old went into last year’s Boxing Day meeting with just a couple and was waiting for them to finish their careers so she could retire.
But nine-year old Smooth Danish refuses to give up.
“He’s won nearly $20,000 in a month,” Aalbers said of the horse’s strong recent form.
“He won’t get many more runs, I’ll sell him for a show horse but, while he’s still racing good, I’ll keep him going.”
Since returning from a three-week spell in August, the gelding has grabbed the most significant win of his career at Wodonga, as well as three other placings, including a last-start third at Seymour on November 2.
“He needs a lot of pace on in the run, then he can sprint home but, unless there’s pace, he can’t sprint,” she said.
Smooth Danish had his first race in March, 2012 and has now had 55 starts, for seven wins, clocking up almost $120,000 in prizemoney.
“He likes it wet or dry, doesn’t matter to him, I might pick a weak race up over the summer,” Aalbers said.
Smooth Danish will certainly start the sentimental favourite in race seven at Wodonga on Friday, although fellow home track trainer Peter Maher will also have support for I’m Peter.
The Wanagaratta-based Ledger stable will run Electric Charlie, which was also nominated for the Cup, while Albury trainer Graham Hulm’s Supply Money is another chance.
However, given Aalbers is nearing the end of a 60-year career, if Smooth Danish is in the hunt, the cheer could be comparable with the Cup.