Gunnedah trainer Gavin Groth heads to Scone on Friday with a real sense of anticipation.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Groth will saddle up four runners on a card headlined by the Country Championship Preview (1300m).
About Time and In Hindsight contest the $20,000 Preview.
This assignment represents Plan B for About Time, who was the first emergency for last week’s Walcha Cup.
“It was a real shame he missed out on a start at Walcha because it fitted perfectly in his preparation,” Groth said.
“He likes his runs spaced and Walcha at 1440 would have been the ideal lead-up to the Quirindi Cup a few weeks later.
“It hasn’t worked out that way, so we’ve dropped back to 1300 and we’ll see what happens.
“He’s drawn the outside gate (13), I’ve got four horses, two of them have drawn nine of 11 and the other two are the extreme outside.
“About Time is an adaptable horse, he can sit on-speed or off-speed, so he’ll race where he’s comfortable.”
The precocious In Hindsight reaches a key step on her comeback trail.
In Hindsight, a daughter of Group One performer Nicconi out of a Zabeel mare, is one of the best-bred gallopers at this meeting.
But she has also been plagued his injury as Groth explained.
“In Hindsight showed a lot as a three-year-old filly with five starts for three wins and two seconds,” he said.
“She knocks herself around in the paddock and hurt a sesamoid in front, and while she was spelling after that, she punctured a back fetlock.
“She’s on the way back and had a couple of starts this preparation.
“I was pleased with her run at Tamworth (last-start), one her action was good and two I wanted to see her let down, which she did, but knocked up.
“I’m pleased she’s coming on so well, but being a five-year-old mare now, she’ll probably need a couple of more runs.”
Groth’s promising Jazzee Nicc returns in a 1100m Class 1 Hcp, while Divine Brown drops back in trip for a 1400m Maiden.