Long time Kyneton racehorse trainer Neil Dyer is hoping for success in the $125,000 Devonport Cup on Wednesday.
Dyer pulled off a training coup when his recent acquisition Vega Magnifico won the Bordertown Cup in mid-December.
The Irish-bred seven-year-old was formerly in the Sydney stable of Annabel and Rob Archibald, and has five wins to his credit from 28 career starts.
At Bordertown, Vega Magnifico was ridden a perfect race by promising young apprentice Jade Smith to win the feature event in a tight finish.
Today’s Devonport Cup is being run over 1880 metres, and Cian MacRedmond has the ride on the equal topweight in a field of 15.
Dyer has been training at Kyneton for more than 30 years and really made a name for himself by heading north and winning three Darwin Cups.
His lone Kyneton Cup success was with gallant mare Mrs Bently in 2002.
Dyer’s son James, a keen form and breeding student, is following a career path in racing with his father.
A well established 20-stable training complex off Black Range Road is the Dyer headquarters at Kyneton.
In his lengthy career, Neil Dyer has chalked up over 260 winners. His horses have bobbed up at an array of courses across the country.
Dyer has a core of well established owners. He welcomes newcomers to the sport to consider taking shares in gallopers entering the stable.
Dyer’s latest winner was four-year-old His Finest Hour, at Wangaratta on December 22.
His Finest Hour then finished second at Flemington on December 31.
Another handy galloper in the Dyer stable is Aichi Icon, a recent winner at Traralgon and Dunkeld. Veteran jockey John Keating was the winning rider on both occasions.
