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MELBOURNE - Consistent galloper Forest Knight will be looking to add to his growing list of country cups when he heads to Ballarat today.
The reigning Victorian Country racehorse of the year has already won both the Colac and Hamilton Cups as well as the Kyneton Cup (2000m)
at his last run a fortnight ago.
"He likes to see country Victoria," trainer Fran Houlahan said.
"He's an honest little fella well suited in the country cups."
New Zealand jockey Greg Childs won the Kyneton Cup on Forest Knight and will ride him again in the Ballarat Cup (2200m).
It will be the 6-year-old's second run at Ballarat after he was unluckily beaten there three starts ago when sixth to Black Panther in the Gold Nugget Stakes (1600m).
"He should have nearly won the Gold Nugget but got stood on his head 50 metres from the post when making a strong run," Houlahan said.
"He's a horse who often has to be ridden for luck and he got none of it that day."
The Ballarat Cup has attracted a capacity line-up with five horses balloted out of the field, which is limited to 18 and three emergencies.
Forest Knight's ownership was dissolved at the end of last season and in August he was sold to another group of Houlahan's owners for A$100,000 ($116,000).
"They paid a lot of money for him and it is good that he is repaying their confidence in him," Houlahan said.
"Country cups are never easy races as everyone wants to win them, but you can't ever discount the horse because he always gives a good account of himself."
By Charnwood Forest, Forest Knight won the Portsea Cup at Mornington on New Year's Day and hasn't looked back.
He ran on from near last to win at Colac in February and struck interference at his next two runs in the Mornington and Stony Creek cups before finishing fifth in the Yarra Glen Cup and winning the Hamilton Cup.
Forest Knight was only beaten a half-length when third to New Kid In Town and Satinspin in the Warrnambool Cup in May.
Two starts ago he got out of his ground and finished seventh to Gallant Guru in the Moe Cup (2050m) before charging home from midfield to win at Kyneton.
Houlahan said that being drawn in the centre of the field (12) today should allow Forest Knight to take up a handy position.
"There should be plenty of pace from the outside and if he can be in the first half it would be lovely," Houlahan said.
"He only needs to get out with clear running and they will know he is there."
- AAP