FORMER leading Southern District jockey Blaike McDougall will ride on all three days of the Wagga Gold Cup carnival, starting on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
McDougall and manager Hayden Kelly made the decision to target this year's Wagga Gold Cup carnival a few weeks back and have already secured rides for the two features.
McDougall will team up with family to ride the Donna Scott-trained Our Last Cash in this year's $200,000 Wagga Town Plate (1200m). He will trial the galloper at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Sunday.
He has also secured the ride on the Phillip Stokes-trained Taramansour for the listed $200,000 Wagga Gold Cup.
McDougall made the move from Albury to Melbourne almost three years ago and is looking forward to returning to the region.
"To be honest, I'm going up there to trial a horse after the last. My manager said do you want to take a few rides and I said a couple...we've ended up with a hat full," McDougall said of Sunday's trip.
"My manager and I made a decision probably two weeks ago. We thought we would target the carnival.
"Warrnambool is on at the same time but I'm not doing a hell of a lot of riding for them trainers at the moment. It's always cold and miserable there so it was nice to get back to Albury this carnival just gone so we just pondered the thought whether we would target the Wagga one and we made the decision to.
"My manager is still able to gather a nice book up that area. He's made some good relationships with trainers and connections up there. The two main races on the two days I've secured what I think are winning chances so I'm going up there looking forward to the two big days."
McDougall's partner Danielle is the daughter of Scott.
Our Last Cash will have his second and final trial in preparation for a first-up tilt at the Wagga Town Plate.
Our Last Cash is a two-time Flemington winner but McDougall is keen to improve his record on the six-year-old.
"Obviously I'll team up with the family's horse in the Town Plate. He goes well, but he's actually never gone well for me," he revealed.
"If you look at his form, the two times he's gone terrible are the two times I've ridden him. So hopefully I can rectify that."
McDougall has seven race rides at Wagga on Sunday, including favourite Sizzle Minizzle in the $45,000 Murrumbidgee Cup (1800m).
The 29-year-old rates last year's Country Championship winner as his best chance for the day.
"I thought an interesting side on the day was Sizzle Minizzle in the Murrumbidgee Cup. He deserves to be favourite, his form reads really well," he said.
"I don't think I've ever had a ride for Brett Robb. It was probably a bit stiff in the Wellington Cup, Wellington's a unique track so coming from Wellington to one of the best tracks in country NSW, it's probably my best chance.
"Obviously well-placed if it wins, it's guaranteed a start in the Wagga Cup."
McDougall will also continue his association with the Hayes stable. He's keen on last-start winner Dunloe in the Guineas Prelude.
"I've ridden him all prep. It was a great win the other day," he said.
"He had to be fit for his racing style, which is bowling along and we found a race third up that he could dictate. He only won by a short margin but I think his style of racing should bring a lot of them horses undone on Sunday and I'm expecting a bold showing.
"He's going to be highly competitive."
