Racing for a place in history

Local trainer Cameron Templeton won last year’s Pakenham Cup with Captain Fancypantz and will look to go back-to-back when Polkaface lines up at Racing.com Park on Sunday. 114426 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By DAVID NAGEL

LEADING trainers Chris Waller, Peter Moody and Darren Weir have horses nominated for Sunday’s $100,000 Bruce Clough Mazda Pakenham Cup.
The first edition of the race to be run at Racing.com Park, Tynong, promises to be a beauty with 27 nominations for the prestigious event to be run over the classic distance of 2000 metres.
Waller has his Irish-import Campanology entered for the race, while Moody’s four-year-old gelding Rodway and the Weir-pair of Shamardashing and Tooleybuc Kid are sure to be hard to beat if they greet the judge.
Tom Hughes’ exciting three-year-old gelding Chill Party, fresh off a last-start win in the Group 2 $200,000 Alister Clark Stakes, will be another to keep an eye on, while local-trainer Cameron Templeton will look to make it back-to-back wins with Polkaface.
Templeton won the last ever Pakenham Cup to be run at the PRC’s former track at Racecourse Road with last year’s winner Captain Fancypantz.
Locally owned favourite The Wingman has also been nominated by Caulfield trainer Robert Smerdon, while Victoria and Queensland Derby runner Pinstripe Lane adds further interest to the race.
The nine-race card carries $350,000 in prize-money with the main support to the cup being the $70,000 Racing.com VOBIS Gold Bullion (1400m) and the $30,000 Schweppes David Bourke Memorial (2500m).
See www.pakenhamracing.com.au for more details on the day.