Spriggs and Smith hoping to continue winning combination at Muswellbrook
By John Schell
Jockey Blake Spriggs will look to continue a successful association with Warwick Farm trainer Matthew Smith when the pair combine in two races at Muswellbrook on Tuesday.
Spriggs will partner the Smith-trained Lucilago in the Muswellbrook Workers Club Maiden Handicap (1280m) as well as the impressive debut winner Runranirun in the Now Listen Dot! Happy Retirement Benchmark 66 Handicap (1000m).
Muswellbrook will host a seven-race card on Friday.Credit: Getty
Lucilago is a mare by Rubick that has one second to her name from just seven starts, and she resumed from a spell with a sixth at Hawkesbury behind Wave Breaker.
“She wasn’t beaten far at all in the Hawkesbury race,” said Spriggs.
“Her trials leading into that run were good, and she’s performed well in city grade earlier in her career as well. She should run well at Muswellbrook.”
Runranirun, a three-year-old filly by Press Statement, was having her first race start when produced at Newcastle on August 15, and couldn’t have been any more impressive when scoring a dominant nine-lengths victory.
“There was a lot to like about that win,” said Spriggs. “She was on the speed and ran right away from them. She’s up in grade for her, but she’s drawn well, and it looks a nice stepping stone to bigger and better things for her.”
Spriggs will have two other rides at Muswellbrook, with Miss Adamas awaiting in the DK Heavy Plant Services Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1000m), and Chestime in The Royal Hotel Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap (1280m). Both gallopers are trained by James Dobie.
Miss Adamas is resuming from a spell and has been placed at Muswellbrook in her career that has reaped 10 placings from 19 starts. Chestime went down narrowly when running second at Tamworth when resuming from a spell and having her first start for Dobie, and since was down the track at Newcastle at the end of last month.
Meanwhile, jockey Andrew Adkins and trainer Jason Deamer will also combine with two leading contenders at Muswellbrook with Just A Fire in the F.A.S.T Fire Protection Maiden Plate (1500m) and Altercation in the Pirtek Muswellbrook Class 1 Handicap (1000m).
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