It's hard to get one past the bookmakers but Cowra trainer Andrew Molloy isn't sure if they've got things quite right ahead of Sunday's Dubbo Cup Prelude.
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Molloy will saddle up consistent cup campaigner Welcome Art for the event and has plenty of faith in the eight-year-old.
"He'll be competitive against that lot and a top three chance, for sure," he said.
"That's what I think but the bookmakers don't seem to agree."
Welcome Art, to be ridden by Mathew Cahill, was a $23 chance for the prelude on Friday afternoon while Westlink, who finished just ahead of Molloy's hope in third last time out at Wellington, was the $3.90 favourite.
A Martin Placepick, who finished eighth at Wellington, was a $13 chance.
"He's won second up before," Molloy added.
"He won the Gilgandra Cup off basically the same preparation and on a heavy track."
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That cup win in February highlighted his last preparation and the target Molloy has had his eyes on for some time now for this preparation is the Narromine Cup.
The strong run home for fourth first-up at Wellington boosted the trainer's confidence.
The Narromine Cup will be run a week after Sunday's Dubbo prelude and while Molloy would ideally like more time between runs he knows another race was needed before the cup.
"We feel that's more within reach [than the Dubbo Gold Cup] but if he runs well we might push on to Dubbo," Molloy said, before praising Welcome Art's return at Wellington.
"It was exactly what we wanted. We didn't think he could win we just wanted to see him hit the line and it was 10 out of 10 for where he was."
The work at home since then couldn't have been much better, further increasing his trainer's optimism.
The tough old competitor is one who often mirrors his trackwork on race day, with disappointing showings at home often leading to poor efforts come race day.
"He's working as good as he has and he's probably come on since the run at Wellington," Molloy added.
"I can't fault him and am keen to get to Dubbo."
The biggest issue for Molloy may well be the weather, with rain falling on Friday in the city and more expected on the weekend.
Should the meeting go ahead a wet track would hold no issue for Welcome Art given he has two wins and a placing on heavy surfaces.
The Darren Hyde-trained Westlink has never raced on a heavy track but one with plenty of form in the wet is Any Blinkin' Day.
To be ridden by apprentice Ronald Simpson on Sunday Any Blinkin Day has won three of his four starts on heavy surfaces.
Racing starts at 12.30pm on Sunday with the Cup Sprint Prelude and Dubbo Cup Prelude the sixth and seventh events respectively.
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.
