Abernethy hoping for repeat

COMING HOME: Jay Abernethy rides Mach Cruiser to victory in the 2014 Wanganui Cup. Abernethy will look for a cup three-peat on Gwendene tomorrow. PHOTO/FILE

In a competitive 13-horse field, you must never looked past Bulls trainer Doug Gale in the $8000 feature Schapps Bar at National Park Wanganui Cup at the racecourse tomorrow.

For the 2600m main event of another nine-race card on grass, the former Auckland Cup winner and NZ Trotting Hall of Famer Gale will have three horses entered in Brainstormer (driver Allen Pyers), Gwendene (Jay Abernethy) and Franco Lennox (Scott Phelan).

Abernethy has driven to victory at the last two Wanganui Cups, which in 2014 was on another Gale horse in Mach Cruiser.

Wanganui Trotting Club president Carole Terry said with a C2-C5 spread in the field, the more prolific winners will be coming off the back marks in Race 7.

"Some are proven grass-trackers."

The horse which could break the Gale and Abernethy streak in the event for 4-year-old's plus is Princess Kate, who trainer/driver Nicky Chilcott took to the winner's circle in Hawera on Thursday.

Princess Kate worked to the lead, set the terms and had too many guns for the chasers on the South Taranaki grass.

Having made an official decree that the weather will be fine tomorrow, Terry said the fields across all nine races are fairly even.

As well as three in the feature, Gale is bringing another seven horses up from Bulls.

A good group will come down from Taranaki, including Stratford's Fred Mitchell, while David Butcher will race Balius for the Wanganui Cup.

Abernethy won six of the nine races on the card last year and will want another hot streak tomorrow.

"We're pleased with the support we've had, the sponsors," said Terry.

In between Races 4-6 there will also be entertainment in the form of the Taranaki Kidz Karts - pony and miniature horse racing.

The first race will be at 12.30pm with the Wanganui Cup decided at 3.41pm.