TALK about sailing in stormy weather – country cups king Harry Coffey would be pretty excited lately if he could get a start in any cup.
On Saturday scratchings due to wet weather again smashed race fields and Just Folk, the Swan Hill jockey’s ride in the $400,000 Cranbourne Cup, was one of those pulled out.
On Sunday Coffey fronted for another crack at a cup – the $70,000 bet365 Donald Cup over 1620m – but again the race was gutted by scratchings, with eight of the 15 acceptances, including his ride Hendrika, pulled out.
Not one to waste a day, Coffey landed two winners to ease the pain.
In the $37,500 Pepper Hill Lodge Handicap over 2200m, only five of the 10 horses started and Coffey’s Angel – the rank outsider of the field – turned on a masterclass on the heavy 8 track.
Tagging the odds-on favourite Notabadbuy the whole way, the five-year-old gelding lit up the straight to career away by almost seven lengths.
“I don’t think it would have mattered who was on him, although I did get him into a nice rhythm,” Coffey said.
“We were really aided by Johnny Allen and Gai Waterhouse (Notabadbuy) being in the race, they went along at a nice gallop and Johnny’s obviously got a great idea of speed.
“I was able to get outside him and get into a nice rhythm – that sort of stopping and starting, I don’t think that would suit him, and we were in a beautiful rhythm and that really helped his performance.
“He did have a good look around late, but yeah, he’s a nice horse.”
Three races later Coffey took out Tern And Go in the $37,500 Leading Teams Handicap over 1200m and, after racing well back in the eight-horse field (10 other runners were scratched) Coffey ignored the other seven on the turn home and headed for the carpark before turning down the outside rail for a clear run to a 1.5-length victory.
“The way the race shaped, we were able to follow them and get a nice run,” Coffey said.
“I felt like the track, if you were hard inside was OK, but if you were hard outside it was even better – get right you can finish off the right way and that mare did.”
