Trainer Travis Doudle has set his sights on the Swan Hill Cup with his durable gelding Not Usual Glorious, though the path to the race will depend heavily on upcoming weather conditions.
The eight-year-old claimed the Swan Hill Cup in 2023 and Doudle believes the conditions at that time of year in northern Victoria should once again suit the proven performer.
As a potential lead-in, Not Usual Glorious is entered for two races at Sandown this Saturday — a benchmark 84 over 1600m, where he’s been assigned 62.5kg, and a benchmark 100 over 1800m with 54.5kg. However, Doudle isn’t locked in to starting just yet.
“I will keep an eye on progressive acceptances and see how the races are unfolding and then I’ll be keeping an eye on the weather,” Doudle said.
“The wetter the better for him.”
Fresh off a first-up win at Warrnambool on soft ground earlier this month, Not Usual Glorious has continued to please in his work, and Doudle is in no rush to commit to a specific route until the right conditions present themselves.
“He’s in a really good place at the moment, so we’re just keeping him ticking over and we can pull the trigger whenever we find the right race,” he said.
“Swan Hill is his main goal. I think it’s a really good race for him.”
Doudle said the likelihood of a rain-affected track for the final day of the Swan Hill carnival enhances their confidence, especially with Not Usual Glorious known to thrive in testing conditions.
“Even if we do accept for Sandown, I probably won’t make my mind up until Thursday,” he added.
The gelding worked strongly on Tuesday morning, showing he’s ready to go if needed, and Doudle wouldn’t hesitate to head to Swan Hill first-up should the Sandown options not align.
While a trip to Sydney is still a faint possibility due to persistent wet weather in NSW, the travel demands from Adelaide remain a deterrent.
“It’s about a 14-hour trip if you cut up through the middle, so it’s a bit of a journey and that’s probably what stops us going up there more than I would like,” Doudle said.
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