Hodge Hunts First-up Cup Win At Inverell

Newcastle Herald

Thursday January 1, 2009

By JOHN GILMOUR

BROADMEADOW trainer Steve Hodge will aim to win the $25,000 Inverell Cup (1400 metres) this afternoon with his first runner at the track.

Hodge will saddle up Geigeron, which is one of two equal topweights with 60 kilograms in the race.

"He might struggle a bit with the weight," Hodge said. "He is eight years old and probably not up to Sydney company now.

"But there is some nice money and some good races to be won around the bush tracks and, besides, his owners Barry and Linda Pont don't mind travelling away to country meetings."

Hodge, who travelled to Inverell yesterday, said this would be the first time he had been to the races there.

"And it may be the last," he laughed.

Geigeron, which won the Denman Cup at Muswellbrook four runs back, battled on well under pressure last start when third behind Testimonial over 1300m at Hawkesbury on December 3.

Silver Street, which is trained at Scone by Bill Farrow, looms as the main danger.

He has been a model of consistency. The widely travelled gelding followed his hat-trick of victories at Quirindi, Dubbo and Scone with seconds at Mudgee and Tamworth at his past two outings.

At his most recent run he battled on well when second, beaten two lengths by Romantic Gaze over 1400m at Tamworth on December 19.

Another with bright prospects is Annjolino, which is trained by Luke Griffith at Scone.

She won by three lengths at Tamworth two starts back before running third in the race won by Romantic Gaze at the same track last start in which she finished three lengths from the winner.

Equal topweight Phantom Thief is trained at Muswellbrook by Marcus Wilson and will be ridden by leading country jockey Greg Ryan.

Phantom Thief was last in the Festival Stakes at Rosehill at his previous start, but his form before that was sound and he looks well placed despite having a big weight and a wide gate.

© 2009 Newcastle Herald

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