John Schell
Trainer Donna Scott and jockey Blaike McDougall appear primed for a big day at Albury on Tuesday, teaming up for three strong chances across the seven-race card.
The Albury-based Scott has six runners at her home-track meeting and will rely on McDougall to strike early in the opening event when he partners Lord Of Valor in the Skybridge Financial Maiden Plate (900m).
Lord Of Valor had two starts in November and December, After a disappointing debut where he was well beaten, he quickly turned things around to finish second at Albury in his second run.
The four-year-old resumes on Tuesday, having finished third in a recent Corowa barrier trial.
McDougall’s next ride for Scott will be Bessie La Belle in the Albury Wodonga Plastering Services Benchmark 66 Handicap (1175m).
A winner of three of 11 starts, Bessie La Belle is also resuming from a spell and has had two barrier trials in preparation, winning the latest of them at Wagga.
McDougall’s final ride for Scott will be on Lord Limerick in the GPE Electrical & Communications Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap (1600m).
Lord Limerick enters the race after consecutive wins at Corowa under McDougall. He is set to face off against stablemate Strategic Defense, which will be ridden by Cory Parish.
Scott will also saddle up Arties A Star (Molly Bourke) in the Naughtin Development Group Country Boosted Maiden Handicap (1175m) and Forte Cheval (Brodie Loy) in the HIB Insurance Class 2 Handicap (1400m).
Arties A Star is a former Ciaron Maher galloper that has been unplaced in five starts, while Forte Cheval is also coming off a last-start Corowa victory.
McDougall, meanwhile, has a further three rides at Albury: Iroquai for Michael Travers in the same event as Arties A Star; Demi God for Travers in Forte Cheval’s race; and last-start Wagga winner Under Wraps for Danny Beasley in race six. McDougall was aboard Under Wraps when it scored with ease in that race.
Supplied with Racing NSW
