Melbourne Cup Spot Awaits Waterloo Winner

THE path for possible inclusion in the TAB Melbourne Cup Series continues at the Manukau Stadium on Sunday where the final for New Zealand's oldest racing trophy will be decided.

The Waterloo Cup, which was first contested for as a coursing event in 1878, holds a TAB Melbourne Cup heat exemption for the winner in an agreement between the Sandown and Auckland race clubs.

The TAB Melbourne Cup will be on display in Auckland on Sunday with Sandown Park media manager Mick Floyd making the trip across the Tasman.

Kiwi trainer Steve Clark will have his eyes firmly focused on the gold plated cup as he loads away the Waterloo Cup favourite Pinny Mack into the five trap.

"Contesting a Melbourne Cup is definitely on my bucket list and to receive an opportunity of being able to do so is huge for me," advised Clark who is no stranger to Waterloo Cup success, having mentored three previous winners of the Group 1 event.

Pinny Mack has been fairly flying lately and his smart 30.26s 527m heat win last Sunday confirmed he's on target for this assignment despite his poor draw.

"Pinny is great – super after his heat. If he jumps like he did in his heat, then yes he has to be tough to beat," stated Clark.

The other Manukau 527m heat was taken out strongly by the track debuting Craig Roberts prepared Dyna Dave. He stalked the pace-making New Zealand Cup title holder Nature's Gent around the final turn from where he unleashed powerfully to nail his 30.29s heat win by the barest possible margin.

"Rapt with his heat race with him handling his track debut like a pro and you'll think he'll be improved after that experience. He has pulled up from that as good has gold," advised Roberts.

The Angela Turnwald prepared Nature's Gent holds genuine claims in the decider, especially as he has probably drawn the best of the finalists when taking into consideration their respective racing styles. This bloke is a demon railer, therefore he's likely to relish jumping away from the two trap here.

"I thought he kicked on solidly in his heat and I guess he's drawn the best of the leading contenders. If he gets a clear run into the first turn, then yes we expect to be somewhere near the major placings," advised the trainer's partner Paul Freeman.

Lisa Cole prepared Bigtime Paddy to win last year's Waterloo Cup and she has qualified two contenders for this edition. The former Wentworth Park 520m sub 30s greyhound Blazin' Carter comes into this event via his 30.18s Hatrick 520m heat win.

"I'm not sure how he'll handle if from out in trap seven and being on track debut is also a concern. He has shown us enough to say he can be competitive at this level of racing," said husband Brendon Cole, who will also sight their other finalist Bigtime Lily racing from the eight trap.

It seems inconceivable that the conditioners of a multitude of Kiwi Group race winners Dave and Jean Fahey provide two on the least fancied contenders.

Egomaniacal won the Addington 520m heat in 30.42s when he ran down his kennelmate Too The Nail. "Both of them are facing tough tasks up there – both will need plenty of luck," suggested Dave Fahey.

Roberts' son Matt will load away his charge Quistis Bale into the ace trap after her three length Hatrick heat second to Blazin' Carter. "The only option she has is to take a flyer at trap rise," said Roberts junior.