By Brenton Le Grand
With three winners and a further nine top fours from his past 16 runners, there’s no more consistent stable than Grant Allard at present. But the Gosford-based trainer is hoping to add to the win column rather than picking up more place prize money on his home surface this Thursday.
Onemoreforluck has been one such frustrating conveyance for Allard with 17 starts for seven placings and five fourths, and she’ll line up in the Tanti Financial Services Class 1 and Maiden Plate over 1900m. The five-year-old Onemorenomore mare has remarkably never raced in her backyard but is well in at the weights with Tom Sherry’s claim.
Allard then saddles up Neretva and Miss Eimar in the Under The Southern Stars At Gosford Benchmark 64 Handicap over 1100m. Neretva has been another who has been thereabouts without winning regularly with a record of three wins, 15 placings and a further eight fourths from 44 starts whilst amassing over $130,000 in earnings. Miss Eimar is a relative newcomer to the Allard camp recently being transferred from Gregory McFarlane. She showed improvement finishing a close up third at her most recent Taree outing, and will benefit from Louise Day’s 2kg claim.
The Pluim Group Class 2 Handicap over 1600m sees the Tara and Phillipe Vigouroux trained Black Star Bowie looking for back-to-back victories following a dominant performance to score by 3.6L at Muswellbrook on January 3. Prior to that win he had five placings from seven starts and was never further back than fifth, and the mile looks ideal with Chad Lever in the irons.
Gates open at midday with the first race scheduled for 1.25pm.