By Ray Hickson
Trainer Garry Lunn believes the switch of the $65,000 Cowra Lamb Cowra Cup (1600m) to Orange on Sunday gives his in-form galloper Knife’s Edge a huge chance to claim another country cup.
The six-year-old’s Coonabarabran Cup win last month put him in contention for a start in the $2million Big Dance in November. Lunn is adamant the gelding hasn’t gone backwards since that impressive win and is happy that Mikayla Weir wanted to stick with him.
Knife’s Edge wins the Highway at Newcastle in November.Credit:Getty
“If the meeting was at Cowra he wouldn’t be running,” Lunn said. “This is a bigger track and he probably wouldn’t have got around Cowra. He’s pretty versatile but I think the bigger track suits him better. I went to Coonabarabran pretty confident and he’s probably going better than when he went there.”
Knife’s Edge had the first half of his 26 starts in Victoria before being picked up by Luke Morgan just over a year ago. He has been a revelation since Morgan transferred him into Lunn’s care thinking he would make a handy stayer.
Three of the gelding’s five career wins have come in this preparation at 1400m and a mile. His two defeats came in Sydney, and Lunn said there was merit in those unplaced runs.
“He’s done everything we’ve asked of him,” he said. “His run in the Country Classic was super. If he got any luck, he’d have been right in the finish.
“He was unlucky in Sydney but the other day [at Coonabarabran] they rolled along pretty quick and he was able to get home. He’s probably going better now than what he’s ever been going. He’s a good horse to train. He worked exceptionally well last Tuesday.”
Lunn said it was likely that Knife’s Edge would have another run or two before heading for a break and a decision is made on his November 7 target. The Big Dance is on the radar for Knife’s Edge and, if he doesn’t make the field, he may have to settle for a run in the $500,000 Little Dance.
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