Valpolicella All Set For Association Cup Tilt

QUEENSLANDER Valpolicella scorched over The Gardens 715 metres on Monday in a near record 41.58 as a lead into the upcoming The 715 at the track.

Trainer Tony Zammit drove the Shima Shine-Seldana bitch to Newcastle from his Gold Coast base and was “over the moon” with the bitch's effort.

Jack Smith's top stayers Palawa King and Bella Una both went around The Gardens but only slipped.

All three missed a run last Saturday night when the Wentworth Park meeting was abandoned.

They had been drawn to contest the heats of the Group 1 Association Cup.

Thos heats are being re-drawn and the fields will be released on Tuesday.

Zammit was desperate to give Valpolicella another look at The Gardens before the heats of The 715 are run in two weeks.

“She ran 41.58 and handled the track really well,” said Tony.

Valpolicella's sections were 4.58, 15.74, 28.79 with a run home of 12.79.

Cool Bourbski holds the track record at 41.40 which she set back in 2021.

Smith was happy with the way his pair trialled.

“All went good,” he said.