In a bid to boost his chances at sealing the same fate as late year, Gulgong trainer Brett Thompson has nominated nine horses, respectively, across this Sunday's Gulgong Cup race meet.
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Last year More Than Art crossed the line in first place to take out the Gulgong Cup ahead of fellow Thompson trained Attalea.
More Than Art will take to the barriers once again this year hoping to collect back-to-back Gulgong Cup victories, but the seven-year-old with seven wins in 43 career starts will now run under Bryan Dixon (Gilgandra).
Also making a return to the $10,000 race is Attalea, who ran third at Dubbo last week and 1st at Narromine earlier in the year, alongside Thompson's Sugar Dance - a fierce competitor who took first at Dubbo last week.
"He jumped from the widest barrier and did the hard work and hung on to win which was good, he's won three for us now," Thompson said regarding the five-year-old's performance at Dubbo.
As for the rest of the program, the Central District Racing Association trainer made no lighthearted decisions by entering a further seven runners across five races, excluding the final race.
Running in the first race of the day for the local trainer, the Combined Hotels/Gooree Park/Gulgong Timber Yard Maiden Handicap (1400 metres), will be Beau Zariz, Donelita and Queen Isla with local jockey Jake Pracey-Holmes in the saddle.
Race two hasn't gone untouched either with three-year-old bay filly, Donelita also running in the Aussie Country Catering/Thornbury Vineyard Maiden Plate (1000 metres), also with Pracey-Holmes on the reins.
As for race three, the John and Sandra Harding Mudgee Machinery Benchmark 50 Handicap (1000 metres), Shake Off will be running for Thompson from barrier 11.
Kenneth, All Ellie and Fairy Fragments will also race for Thompson in the Think Water Dubbo/Tom Adams Hotel/Gulgong Chamber of Commerce Class 2 Handicap (1200 metres), heightening the trainers chances at a race four victory.
The Gulgong Cup will be held at the Gulgong Turf Club on June 9, with the first jump at 1.10pm.