Twelve months ago, local trainer Liam Howley won his second Kyneton Cup with New York Hurricane, ridden by Harry Coffey.
Howley has his 2022 Kyneton Cup winner Station One in the field for the $125,000 Kyneton Cup to be run on Wednesday to follow up the Melbourne Cup at Flemington tomorrow.
Station One, now a seven-year-old, will be having his 47th start if he runs on Wednesday, having previously earned a reputation as the ‘Country Cups King’ .
The majority of his nine wins have been in Cup events, with stable apprentice Danica Munro having considerable success aboard the bold frontrunner.
Station One’s latest win was in the Gunbower Gold Cup over 1800m on October 4, followed by third in the Ararat Cup.
Back in 2022, Station One was ridden by Craig Newitt when he led all the way to win the Kyneton Cup, which had been transferred to Bendigo.
Kyneton fields were declared today, with the Cup to be run over 2000 metres.
Owners and trainers have been watching weather forecasts closely, with some fearing any torrential downpours could lead to a very heavy track on Wednesday.
Kyneton and Hanging Rock Racing Club has put in plenty of work to try to ensure tomorrow is a memorable Cup Day at Kyneton. It is the local club’s feature event of the season.
‘GROWING PRESTIGE’
“The growing prestige of the Kyneton Cup is evident from the nominations submitted by leading trainers,” club president Gary O’Meara said prior to the fields being declared.
Leading trainer Ciaron Maher had seven nominated.
There were three from Emma Lee and David Brown, and two each from Trent Bussutin and Natalie Young, Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Anthony and Sam Freedman, and Annabel Neasham and David Archibald.
Local trainers with Cup nominations were Liam Howley (Station One) and Aftab Sheikh (Groshawk).
“It’s shaping up as one of the strongest editions of the race in several years,” O’Meara said.
There will also be a special Fashions on the Field judging at Kyneton with entrants having the opportunity to enter several sections. An array of prizes are on offer.
CUP FIELD
The BET365 Kyneton Cup is race 8 on the program with $125,000 in prize money.
The field is as follows:
1 Herman Hesse (GB) (Ciaron Maher) J Allen barrier 3 62.0kgs
2 Ziryab (GB) (Ciaron Maher) barrier 7 54.5kgs
3 Wonder Kid (IRE) (Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr)) Z Spain barrier 1 54.0kgs
4 Flash Feeling (NZ) (Dan O’Sullivan) E J Walsh barrier 2 54.0kgs
5 Lincoln Rocks (NZ) (Annabel and Rob Archibald) Ms L Meech barrier 10 54.0kgs
6 Navy King (NZ) (Symon Wilde) T M Nugent barrier 6 54.0kg
7 Station One (Liam Howley) Ms A K Kelly 4 54.0 barrier 8 54.0kgs
8 Idon’tgetit (Peter Chow) L Riordan barrier 8 54.0kgs
9 Mickio (Matthew Enright) C Newitt barrier 9 54.0kgs
10 Shultzy (Pat Cannon) F W Kersley barrier 11 54.0kgs
11 Groshawk (Aftab Shaikh) T C Doyle barrier 5 54.0kgs
