By John Schell
Goulburn trainer Matthew Dale.Credit: Getty
The combination of trainer Matthew Dale and jockey Nick Heywood will attempt to go one better than last year when they tackle Sunday’s $40,000 Parkes Services Club Parkes Cup (1600m) with Toretto.
Dale and Heywood took on the Parkes Cup this time last year when Kiptanui finished second behind Osman.
This time around they have Toretto lining up for his fourth start back from a spell, and he has the advantage of barrier one.
Toretto resumed from a spell over an unsuitably short distance at Albury and was doing his best work late in the race.
He followed that up with another good effort at Canberra behind Merc before hitting the line well again there last time out when finishing second to Baledon.
Toretto will clash with a number of handy performers at Parkes, including the Clint Lundholm pair of Listen To The Band and Macchina Volante. Jake Pracey-Holmes will partner Listen To The Band, and Zoe Hunt takes the ride on Macchina Volante.
Listen To The Band is lightly raced considering he is a nine-year-old. He has had his share of stints on the sidelines due to injury, but has been in solid form this campaign.
He ran third in the WRA Country Championships at Coonamble, and secured a start in the final at Randwick after Coonamble winner Elson Boy was withdrawn.
Listen To The Band was safely held in the Country Championships Final, but then ran well in the Wagga Town Plate when midfield and beaten less than two and a half lengths behind The Prodigal Son.
Trainer Nick Olive will have Ready To Humble (Billy Owen) and Invincible Dash (Quayde Krogh) in the event, while Michael Mulholland also has two runners in Sea Of Flames (Shayleigh Inglese) and Memories (Kath Bell-Pitomac).
Tamworth trainer Cody Morgan will take last-start winner Aesthete to the Parkes Cup on the back of his bold front-running victory on his home track last time out.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
