High profile Canberra trainer Matthew Dale has a good chance to win another $30,000 Parkes Services & Citizens Parkes Cup (1600m) when Top Ravine contests the feature event at the eight race TAB meeting on Sunday.
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Dale has already won the Cup with Prince Warrior (2013) and Itchyzariz (2016), and finished third with Royal Jackpot in 2015.
A lightly raced galloper, Top Ravine (Brodie Loy) will handle the 1600m journey in the Parkes feature with ease as both wins to date from only 14 starts have been over 1700m and 1800m respectively.
With rain about, it’s worth noting Top Ravine has been placed three times on heavy tracks.
Prior to a spell Top Ravine ran fourth in a big field at Sandown in Victoria and since resuming, despite being unplaced, has performed well in races at Canterbury and Rosehill over unsuitable distances.
Sure to give supporters a great sight in the Cup is the Dubbo-trained Our Sarastro, winner of seven races for trainer Connie Greig.
More importantly, five of those wins for Our Sarastro have been over the 1600m Parkes Cup distance.
A noted frontrunner, Our Sarastro goes extra well for the talented Dubbo-based apprentice Chris Williams and after finishing fourth in the Gilgandra Cup to Lancelot and third to Uncle Sugar in the Cowra Cup, Our Sarastro resumed from a break to win over 1300m at Dubbo as a $26 outsider.
Our Sarastro’s final tuneup for the Parkes Cup was a runaway barrier trial win at Coonamble last Saturday.
The Cup is at 4pm.
