AFTER Miss Rodriguez ran a disappointing seventh in the 2017 Billy Soo Memorial Blayney Cup, Oberon trainer Wayne White vowed he would not return to the track.
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But 12 months on he has changed his mind.
Not only will White make the trek from Oberon to Blayney this Sunday, but he will do so with the hopes of having a member of his stable feature in the Billy Soo Memorial Blayney Cup (2,400 metres).
This time Master Benny will line up for him in the feature of the Carnival of Cups meeting which carries a $12,750 purse.
“Horses that are trained at Oberon tend to go very well at Blayney. It was for that very reason I took Miss Rodriguez over to run in the cup last year, but I think she was very disappointing,” White said.
“After that I swore I'd never go back to Blayney, but 12 months later, here I am.
“Things that can't win a race anywhere else can win at Blayney given the similarity to the Oberon track, that uphill run to the finish sorts a few of them out.”
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White rates Master Benny – a six-year-old son of Passmaster Hanover – as the best horse in his stable at the moment.
He has only had the one start this season for a third at Dubbo on November 4, but White said Master Benny is fitter now. His chances have also been boosted by the draw.
White’s runner, who will have Jason Turnbull in the gig, has drawn barrier two but is likely to go from the one gate as that is where the first emergency has been drawn.
On top of that, Menangle trainer KerryAnn Turner has copped barrier 11 for her runner Dance For Glory. The Artsplace gelding has finished no worse than third in his last nine outings, with four of those runs being wins.
“Kerry's horse is the standout horse with a very ordinary draw and the draw means everything at Blayney,” White said.
“I think on any other track Kerry’s horse would be a certainty, but off that draw on a small track like Blayney, it will be tough. It's a tricky little track and a lot of horses don’t like it.
“My bloke has got a good draw and really good gate speed, but he doesn’t have to lead either.
“He's probably ready to perform, I'd say the horse will run as good as he can go. I think he can be competitive, I really think he’s a place chance.
“My wife is from Blayney, so I'd love to win the Billy Soo Cup.”
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The Blayney Cup will jump at 5.34pm on Sunday, but is not the only feature of the Carnival Of Cups meeting.
The final of the Peter Marshall Memorial, a Country Series and Where Horses Fly heat as well as the Drivers Invitational promise some hot racing.
