Up and coming Albury sprinter Scatcat will take a fitness edge into the Stan Sadleir Stakes at Wagga on Thursday when she faces her toughest test to date
Scatcat, after four wins and a second at her past five starts, faces a step up to open grade for the first time.
Her stablemate Prince Pedro is the topweight after eight wins from 16 starts, but he has only raced once – back in March – in the past 12 months.
Their trainer Brett Cavanough is confident Scatcat will again run well but admits it will be a different test against some good proven gallopers.
Wodonga trainer Brian Cox has dual representation with Tumbulgum and Full Hand. The latter is first-up after he was scratched from last week’s Snake Gully Cup.
Tumbulgum finished second behind Living On A Prayer when first-up at Albury.
Full Hand has finished second three times first-up, but will need the race run to suit to figure, according to his trainer.
“He will be there if the pace is on because he normally gets back and runs on,” he said.
“If there is a chink in the armour of one of the others he may finish too well, but he is going to need things go his way.”
With a promising first-up run behind him and top jockey Nick Souquet aboard, Tumbulgum would be the more favoured of the two.
Tumbulgum spent some time racing in Singapore and showed enough first-up for Cox to hope he can win his share of races this preparation.
“He pulled a bit hard first-up and the winner is no slouch so I was happy with how he went,” Cox said.
“The difference in the weights made the difference.”
Like Scatcat, Final Jest will be out to add to its impressive record of three wins and two placings form five starts.
The improver could be Stacey Lee who was injured first-up when finishing behind Living On A Prayer.
