Top trainer Pat Webster looks to Dalby

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Pat Webster hopes to climb another mountain in the Country Cups Challenge and Country Stampede Finals this year but has ruled out targeting the features with his Dalby contingent on Thursday.

Webster claimed last year’s Country Cups Challenge Final with Skyforger after taking out the 2021 Country Stampede Final with V J Day and he followed up the year after with Dynamic Verse.

V J Day also went on to finish second to the Olivia Cairns-trained Ammoudi Bay in the Battle Of The Bush Final in 2022. 

The Toowoomba horseman is setting Skyforger on another path to the Country Cups Challenge Final while he hopes to have a two-pronged attack in the Country Stampede Final with Medals and this year’s Battle Of The Bush placegetter Invahir.

Stablemate Shows A Sign, who tackles the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1000 metres at Dalby on Thursday, won’t head down the Country Stampede path.

“Unfortunately, he hasn’t had five country starts to be eligible for the Stampede, so he won’t head that way,” Webster said.

“I’ll have Medals and Invahir going for it and Skyforger will have another go at the Country Cups Challenge Final after winning it last year."

Webster is hopeful Shows A Sign can be competitive in his comeback run despite not having started since finishing second against his own age over 1100 metres at Toowoomba in late March.

“He had a soft barrier trial win at Toowoomba and he’s done a lot of work so he should run well,” Webster said.

“He used to over-race and be a hard going type earlier in his career, but he’s settled down now.

“The track was heavy for his last run and the 1100 metres found him out.”

Shows A Sign is a homebred and is raced by the Price family.

The Price clan include Ian and Ivan Price who own and operate the Bahram training and spelling centre outside Toowoomba where Webster and several others train.

Webster also is hopeful Pan A Million will be a strong force in the Ratings Band 0 - 58 Handicap over 1400 metres.

Pan A Million has placed in three of his past four starts including a last start third to Philip Minter-trained Hotfoot Performer at Warwick on September 11.

“His last run was very good and the two that beat him were just too good on the day,” Webster said.

“This looks a more suitable race for him so I’m expecting him to run well.”

Jockey Les Tilley will ride both Shows A Sign and Pan A Million.