THE combination of trainer Garry Worsnop and his granddaughter, jockey Teighan Worsnop, emerged triumphant in this year’s running of the Tumut Cup on Saturday.
The Albury-based pair combined to seize the win with seven-year-old gelding Tough James ($16), one of the unfancied runners in the race.
The well-supported Garry Kirkup-trained, second favourite Ferrari Girl, took the lead in the early stages of the race.
Still having a handy lead, she looked to have the race won coming into the home straight with about 200 metres left to run.
Coming off the final bend Tough James was in third place, half a dozen lengths behind the leader, but produced a flying finish down the outside to deny Ferrari Girl a hat-trick.
Out of Al Maher (sire) and Uranie (dam), Tough James prevailed to take out the big race with a winning margin of half a length.
It was a day for favourite backers with five favourites winning on the six-race card.
Meanwhile, as well as the main race-winning connections, Wangaratta trainer Craig Weeding also had a day to remember.
Although his two runners, top weight Choice Harvest and Toronto Rain, were both unplaced in the Tumut Cup, Weeding had a fantastic day at the track.
Arriving at Tumut with a string of 10 runners, Weeding won half of the races at the meeting with his three winners.
He won with Big Day Out ($4.20), Dark Legacy ($4.00) and A Bit Racey ($2.25), who all saluted the judge to give him a hat-trick of wins on the day.
His victories now take him to 33 for the season with a career-best strike rate of almost 15% – his best ever start to a season.
Weeding’s first winner on the day in the second race was the Emma Ly-ridden Big Day Out ($2.25), who won by default after a protest was upheld.
“It was a really good ride from Emma Ly,” Weeding said.
“In the run we got pipped on the post in a photo and then there was a fourth against first protest which relegated the winner to fourth and promoted us to win.
“It gives Big Day Out back-to-back Tumut Sprint wins.
“It’s not how you really want to win a race but we’re happy to take it.”
Weeding’s next winner, four-year-old mare Dark Legacy ($4.00) won comfortably by almost two and a half lengths in the fourth race on the card.
“It was another good ride from Jake Duffy,” he said.
“She started from a wide gate and the mile start at Tumut is on the bend, so she had to do a lot of work to cross them which she did.
“She got a bit of a breather mid race and was just too strong to the line.”
A Bit Racey ($4.20), ridden by Coriah Keatings, finished the meeting in style, winning by almost a length for the Victorian trainer in the final race.
“It was a good effort from her,” Weeding said.
“She’s a small mare that carried a really big weight, aided by a good ride.
“She bounced, put herself in the race pretty comfortably and then just came off their backs and ran home pretty strongly like she does really.
“The horses delivered and the ones we thought would run well; did run well.
“We had another great day out at Tumut, but it was only made possible because of a good team effort.”
