Andrew Banks wasn’t even meant to be riding in Monday’s $30,000 Forbes Cup but he made the most of his chance and took out the feature with a storming late run aboard Zarlu.
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It was meant to be Brad Clark in the saddle but he was unable to take the ride in the 1600m event and Banks was called upon by Wagga trainer Peter Morgan.
And he didn’t disappoint, with Zarlu enjoying the early speed set by the frontrunners before flying down the outside and scoring by one-and-three-quarter lengths.
“I had the last shot at them, they went pretty quick so I was happy to be back there,” Banks told Sky Racing after the win.
Morgan was equally happy after seeing his gelding win for the second time from three starts this preparation.
“He has no early pace so I wasn’t wanting them to go hard early in front and they came back to him and he was too strong at the finish,” he said in the post-race interviews.
“Andrew was very lucky and I reckon ‘Clarky’ is in there crying.”
While the Cup was considered an open one much of the pre-race attention was on metro galloper Vite Loni, who began as a $3 favourite.
Brett Thompson’s Dark Mojo ($9) got out well and settled alongside Zero To Ten ($8) in the early stages.
Greg Ryan on Ultima Choice ($8) soon moved up to take the lead as the field approached the bend for home.
Dark Mojo led them into the straight but after such a quick pace many faded, and Zarlu ($12), who had been unsighted towards the back of the field for much of the journey, peeled wide and began to make his move.
Once the seven-year-old wound up there was little doubt about the result and he went pass the post to score the first Cup win of his career on the track rated a soft 6.
“Zarlu is basically a mud runner so as long as it’s wet we’ll keep hunting him around,” Morgan said.
“He just loves the wet and grows another leg.”
Leucura ($5) ran home well for Chris Heywood to make it a Wagga one-two while Dark Mojo, ridden by apprentice Clayton Gallagher, was a further one-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
The win was number six from 30 starts for Zarlu, and followed on from a win at Wagga and a close second at Wodonga this preparation.
“His Wodonga run was good, another stride and he would have won it,” Morgan said.
“It was 1590m, if it had been 1600m he would have got the money.”
Unfortunately for the connections of Vite Loni, and all those at the track, the six-year-old gelding broke down in the final straight and was unable to finish.
The sole Dubbo representative in the feature, Peter Nestor’s Private Taber ($17), finished eighth.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
