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Lock Cup preview

Lock Cup Preview

There may only be four runners in Sunday’s Lock Cup but they make up for it in experience with 259 starts between the four of them. We preview each runner’s chances in the biggest race on the West Coast this weekend.

  1. Eye The World

Age: 9yo Gelding | Trainer: Ryan Dawson | Jockey: Eran Boyd

Career Record: 86:10-12-13 | Track Record: 1:0-1-0 | Distance Record: 2:0-1-1

Eye The World is out to go one better than last year after running second in last year’s edition behind Rooboy. He only went down by less than a length that day but has been in a rich vein of form of late which included victory in this year's Ceduna Cup.

Eran Boyd partnered the gelding in that Ceduna Cup win and now has two wins and one second placing on the horse from four rides. Boyd has been in good form recently with seven wins from her last 50 starts including a double at Strathalbyn on Sunday. 

  1. Hard At It

Age: 7yo Gelding |Trainer: Darryl Carrison | Jockey: Ryan Hurdle

Career Record: 56:7-9-10      | Track Record: 1:0-0-1 | Distance Record: 1:0-0-1

Trainer of last year's Lock Cup winner, Darryl Carrison will be looking to go back to back with Hard At It. The gelding ran third in last month’s Ceduna Cup behind Eye The World and just hasn't been able to break through for a win after a number of placings. 

The horse ran third in the 2016 Lock Cup so will know his way around the track. He gets the services of senior jockey Ryan Hurdle on Sunday which could be the difference when he comes up against the top weight again this weekend. 

  1. Umaluka

Age: 11yo Gelding | Trainer: Jackie Stoetzer | Jockey: Murray Henderson

Career Record: 90:13-13-11 | Track Record: 1:0-0-0 | Distance Record: 7:1-2-1

The 90 race veteran finished off 2018 with a win at Port Lincoln but hasn't been able to capture that form again this year. 

The big thing that Umaluka has in his favour heading into Sunday is that he is the only horse in the race who has won over 1900m, while all his rivals have better records over shorter trips. This could be a major factor at the end of the race and with a good record on dirt tracks, Umaluka could be the one to watch for late.

  1. Hand to Hand

Age: 5yo Gelding | Trainer: Julie Branford | Jockey: Brendan Sweeney

Career Record: 27:2-3-3        | Track Record: 0:0-0-0 | Distance Record: 0:0-0-0

The 'youngster' of the field, Hand to Hand has been in as good a form as any horse heading into Sunday’s Cup and his trainer Julie Branford has also been in great form. She's trained four winners from her last 16 starters and jockey Brendan Sweeney is also in great touch coming off a Ceduna Cup Day double.

Predictions:

1st: Eye the World, 2nd: Umaluka, 3rd: Hard at It, 4th: Hand to Hand  

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