TAB Carnival of Cups heads to Dubbo

The Dubbo Harness Racing Club will conduct its biggest race meeting of the year this Friday night when the TAB Carnival of Cups heads to town.

More than $100,000 will be raced for with eight feature races headlined by the Group 3 $30,000 Trump Bloodstock Red Ochre Mares Classic.

The race has become one of the most sought-after events in country New South Wales and is supported by a number of leading studs throughout Australasia.

This year’s field is one of the most even that has contested the race since its inception with price assessors battling to be able to make a standout favourite.

But they have come up with Crookwell mare Arma Naughty as the popular elect following her exceptional form in recent months.

Trained and driven by Scott Hewitt, Arma Naughty has been ever so consistent during the past three months, winning four on the bounce at Canberra, Bathurst (twice) and Wagga.

She was then flattened at the start two starts back before having no luck and being narrowly beaten at Tabcorp Park Menangle last Saturday night.

The southern raider will need to be every bit as good as her form suggests as she takes on a nice field of mares from both the Western District and Hunter Valley.

Champion Bathurst trainer, driver Amanda Turnbull has seven runners engaged at Dubbo and two in the Red Ochre.

She will drive Meraviglia while Isobel Ross is aboard Gotta Party Doll, a former New Zealand mare who resumed to racing last month and smashed the Parkes Track Record rating 1.57.3.

Prominent Bathurst mentor, Bernie Hewitt also has two engaged in the Classic including Scarlet Babe, a past winner of the Red Ochre in 2018.

Leading Hunter Valley trainer Roy Roots Jnr is making the trip west and has Delilaah and Glengarry Rose, the latter being owned by Trundle businessman, Robert Stephenson.

The Quambys Stayers Cup will be run over the 2525 metre trip and the smart field is headed up by Interdominion placegetter, Our Uncle Sam from the Chris and Anthony Frisby stable at Bathurst.

Apart from some first class racing, patrons will be well catered for and can win some great prizes by just dressing in Red which is the theme of the night.

HRNSW