By Neil Evans
They may fall short of any long-range Kosciusko bid in spring, but a couple of talented sprinters return at Monday’s feature Scone meeting with bigger targets planned.
In a competitive Benchmark 66 Hcp over 1000m to close the program, promising home track four-year-old The Hanger Cat returns for his first run in nearly 11 weeks.
Racing returns to Scone on Monday with an eight-race card.Credit: Getty
Trained by Brett Cavanough, the son of Duporth has already built a tidy win and place record from just six starts, and will be earmarked for metropolitan races if he returns with a bang at home.
After dominant Maiden and Benchmark 58 wins to close out last prep, The Hanger Cat tuned up for his return with a nice forward trial at Muswellbrook just four days ago.
He draws the fence here, well away from tough six-year-old stablemate Clifton Springs who despite drawing the second-widest gate, looks one of the hardest to beat.
So too is the Cameron Crockett-trained Assiduity who has been freshened for a significant drop back in distance after failing badly in a Highway at Rosehill over 1500m.
The Cavanaugh stable also saddles up exciting I Am Invincible stallion Point Basse in a Benchmark 58 Hcp for the boys over 1300m, 15 days after he charged home to win on debut.
Formerly with the Chris Waller yard, Point Basse is being earmarked as a potential country carnival miler who could also be seen in a mid-week metro race sooner rather than later.
Meanwhile, in a Benchmark 74 Hcp over the mile, well-regarded local mare Angelical will be out to show her true ability second-up on preferred soft ground.
From the Paul Messara yard, Angelical drops back from a much tougher metro BM 72 against the older horses, and has her first start back at home in a long time.
The daughter of Japanese sire Real Impact showed so much potential early in her career, and still has a 50 percent winning strike rate from only eight starts spread across an often interrupted near two-year career so far.
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
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