Champion trainer Chris Waller says there will be double reason to celebrate should Soulcombe win the Bendigo Cup.
Victory, or for that matter a top three finish in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) on Wednesday, will get Soulcombe a start in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington next Tuesday.
But victory would mean the world for jockey Nash Rawiller who is chasing a second win in the Bendigo Cup, a race he previously won for Tony Noonan aboard Yammer in 2000.
Rawiller is a former Bendigo lad, now domiciled in Sydney, and who has ridden with success around the globe.
Waller is confident Rawiller will leave no stone unturned in his bid to secure a second Bendigo Cup success.
“Nash was very keen to come down for the Bendigo Cup, and he said to us a couple of weeks ago, ‘try and find something with my weight for the Bendigo Cup’,” Waller said.
“As it’s worked out, Soulcombe is there and I think it would mean more to Nash than anyone if Soulcombe could win.
“(I’m sure) he’ll even bring the kitchen sink down.”
It has been a long road back for Soulcombe who spent almost three years away from the racetrack with tendon issues.
Soulcombe ran second to Without A Fight in the 2023 Melbourne Cup and did not race again until August 29 at Caulfield when down the track behind Caulfield Cup winner Kingswood.
Waller has seen gradual improvement in Soulcombe and if the stayer can finish in the top three and secure a Melbourne Cup berth, he will take his place next Tuesday.
“He’s very fit. He hasn’t had a lot of luck in his last two runs,” Waller said.
“The key was getting him back from the tendon issue. It’s been gradual, small steps.
“We had a couple of attempts, they failed, but he’s finally back and as a result was a little bit softer than what we would have liked first and second up.
“He’s gradually found that fitness, so there’s a sense of timing there, but we’ll just watch and see, but if he finishes top three, he will run.”
Soulcombe ran seventh to stablemate Pinhole in the Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield on October 10 before finishing sixth to Point Of Law in the Geelong Cup (2400m) last week.
Soulcombe is rated a $12 chance in Bendigo Cup markets with Kings Valley the current $2.90 favourite.
