TRAINER Natalie Jarvis is confident of stringing back-to-back Cup victories together, before setting Airfree for a breakthrough success in town.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The five-year-old mare produced a stunning burst to win the Moruya Cup last start and will relish the likely Heavy conditions in Sunday's Nowra Cup.
Having finished second in a Highway Handicap over a mile in March last year, the Benchmark 90 Moruya marker has left Jarvis eyeing another taste of city-class racing.
"Her rating has gone up 15 points from that win, so we won't really have any choice," Jarvis said.
"But she's run well in Highways before, so we'll look to find her something in town again where she'll be competitive.
"She's just a real trier, she's not a big horse, but always gives a big effort, you just know what you get."
Airfree has drawn barrier three for Sunday's race, offering jockey Kayla Nisbet the option of finding a handy spot or dropping off the speed.
She was up on the pace as a four-year-old at Randwick when caught in a duel in the straight with the Colt Prosser-trained Haames.
At Moruya, Airfree ($26) had the last shot in a frantic Cup finish, producing a devastating turn-of-foot to beat Rinviate and Thy Kingdom Come.
Enhancing her Nowra Cup prospects is a record of two wins from as many starts on Heavy, with Thursday's Soft 6 track rating expected to be downgrade with more rain to come.
"She loves it wet, there'll be no issue there," Jarvis said.
"She's had a break (six weeks) between runs, but she been ok, she's sounds, she just wasn't quite herself, so we freshened her up a bit."
Kembla Grange trainer Theresa Bateup has accepted with front-running Jarrett, who ran second to Airfree in a Benchmark 66 before finishing sixth in the Moruya Cup, as well as six-year-old gelding Old Man's Angel, who drew barrier 16.
Former Nowra trainers Robert and Luke Price have Brock Ryan aboard Mohican, who won a Class 2 over a mile at Kembla Grange last month.
Among the other key runners include the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Greek Hero, an import who was well-back when winning a Class 2 over 1500 at Kembla two weeks ago.
Sign up for the Voice of Regional Australia
Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
