GOULBURN trainer Danny Williams is set to chase a slice of history and target a second Albury Gold Cup with Green Sweet.
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The seven-year-old gelding has since been transferred to the Williams stable and had his first start for his new trainer in last year’s Scone Cup when unplaced.
Green Sweet will be aiming to become the first dual winner of the Albury Cup since the Brain Cox-trained Ekalaka who saluted in 2000 and 2002.
The French import finished third in the $49,000 Bega Cup, (1600m) on Sunday at the Sapphire Coast with Chad Lever aboard.
Williams confirmed Albury’s premier race was firmly on the radar.
“I’m definitely setting him for the race, he’s looking for 1800-2000-metres,” Williams said.
Williams said Sunday’s run was full of merit with top-weight of 62-kilograms.
“Unfortunately we took the blinkers off the horse for the run on Sunday and it backfired on us,” he said.
“He just wouldn’t go early and I thought the horse should of still won, from about the 600 to 300-metre mark he was bottled-up with nowhere to go.
“Lumping 62-kilograms he just couldn’t build momentum in the soft conditions.
“With the Sapphire Coast track you have got to be two or three lengths off the leaders turning for home to be a realistic chance because it’s very difficult to make ground.
“Horses are forced to run up hill slightly and the last furlong was heavier than the remainder of the track and it’s more or less impossible to make-up ground.
“So I thought his effort to run third was outstanding and think he is going as well as he has all preparation.”
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Williams said Green Sweet would possibly have two more starts before tackling the Albury Gold Cup on March 22.
“I will look for an 1800-2000-metre race in town and the reassess my options after that,” he said.
“He will perhaps have two runs before the Albury Cup.
“The horse is really enjoying himself at the moment at our stables in Moruya.
“We have got two bases, one at Goulburn and one at Morouya.”
Williams could have a three-pronged attack on the $180,000 feature with stablemates Hemmerle and Biodynamic also being set for the race.
Hemmerle is a lightly raced four-year-old gelding who has been recently targeting the Highway races in Sydney.
Biodynamic finished runner-up in the $34,000 Sapphire Coast Cup (2200m) on Sunday.
“We are also trying to set Hemmerle for the race but it will depend if his rating is high enough,” he said.
“Biodynaimc could also target the race if his form at the time warrants a start.”
Willliams said Blake Shinn has indicated he is keen to ride at Albury.
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