By MATT NICHOLLS
BRAVE Ali will carry the weight of the city’s expectations as he prepares to win the $35,000 Armidale Cup (1900m) for his large contingent of local owners.
The Craig Martin-trained gelding, who won the Quirindi Cup at his last start, has been set for the Armidale feature race since late last year and is expected to peak on Monday.
Armidale Jockey Club secretary Jim Dedes, who owns a share of the horse, said the roar would be deafening if Brave Ali won.
“It was pretty big when he won the Guyra Cup last year, but if he wins the Armidale Cup it’ll be enormous,” he said.
“It should be a really good field, though, so he’s no certainty to win.”
The weight of local money in the betting ring should see Brave Ali start favourite, though.
Others to have a share in the seven-year-old gelding include AJC president Rod Watt, Brett Wallace, Troy Johnson, Benita Johnson, Peter Lewsam, Bernard Shortis, Sam Piddington, Nick Dooner, Mark Wallace, Craig Waters, Harley Payne, Tom Payne, David Knight and the Motza Syndicate, which includes a number of other Armidale people.
Brave Ali also races in the Barbarians Rugby Club colours, an initiative of St Kilda Hotel publican Harley Payne and coach Sam Piddington.
The final fields for the Armidale Cup will be released at 9am tomorrow.
