CERVINIA led all the way to win Thursday’s $20,000 Bective Station Somerton Cup Benchmark 60 Handicap (1600m) and might make another four hour float trip to run in Sunday week’s Gunnedah Gold Cup as well.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Damien Lane-trained five-year-old mare, who had won at Kempsey at her last outing, was rated perfectly out in front by Matt McGuren to hold off Paul Perry’s Torquay for a neck win with Scott Thompson’s top weight, Valatia, two and a quarter lengths away third.
It was Matt McGuren’s first Cup winner at Riverside although he did win a Lightning sprint here one year.
“She showed good speed out of the gates and was able to hold them off,” McGuren said.
“They tried to put the speed on around the back but she coped well.”
Cervinia has now won four of her 34 starts and has been racing in good style with no success at the provincials, Damien Lane said.
“Since I’ve had her she’s hasn’t run too many bad races,” the former Coonamble trainer, now based at Wyong, said.
“Been running good races at the provincials, running placings and not getting beaten far.
“She was a bit of a concern today. Had 30 starts for just three wins so I didn’t know if she could win back to back after the Kempsey win the other day. But I will have to come back and give her a crack at the Gunnedah Cup (May 28) on that. Only problem is she might not get enough weight so Matt can ride her.”