Canny Ballad scores last stride win in Albury Gold Cup

The Guy Walter trained Canny Ballad ended a frustrating run of second placings with a last stride win in the Listed $170,000 Commercial Club Albury Gold Cup (2000m) at Albury today.

Canny Ballad, white colours, running second at Warwick Farm in a lead up run before the Albury Cup.

Canny Ballad, white colours, running second at Warwick Farm in a lead up run before the Albury Cup. Photo by Steve Hart.

Canny Ballad has been runner up at his last four outings in restricted class and went to Albury on the back of a second in a 1600m BenchMark 85 at Warwick Farm on March 20.

Walter was stepping Canny Ballad ($8) up to 2000m for the first time and was delighted to see the four year old charge to the line from well back in the field to grab Price Of Glory ($51) in the shadows of the post.

Walter also saddled up third placegetter Jacquinot Bay who was sent out the second favourite at $4.80.

Favourite Mourinho ($4.40) also made ground last to finish fifth.

Now that Canny Ballad has broken through for a well-deserved win, Walter will have to decide whether he comes back to town and runs in the Group 3 $150,000 Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m) at Randwick on April 26 or sticks to the Country Cups and head to Wagga for the Duke Of Kent Hotel Wagga Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) on May 2.

“He is certainly deserving of a win,” Walter said.

“He has run seven or eight seconds in his short career and we were hoping that he would run 2000m. It was a long way to come to find out and fortunately it worked out well.”

“I thought it was a fabulous win, and I trained his sire Dream Ballad who is doing very well at stud.”

“We will have a think about what we are going to do. We might go to Wagga or we might run him in the Japan Trophy race over the carnival. We will wait and see.”

Walter also praised the efforts of Jacquinot Bay who stuck on well for his minor placing and will now be sent for a spell.

“I thought Jacquinot ran a tremendous race. He didn’t have the best of runs from his wide gate. He’s has been up a long time and will go for a spell and come back for the Spring.”

Winning jockey Kathy O’Hara settled Canny Ballad well back in the field and after pushing out into the clear rounding the home turn was able to make a late charge down the middle of the track to gain the major prize.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.