The Group 3 event is the feature race on the program of Goulburn’s premier race meeting of the season, which is being held at the Goulburn Paceway on Australia Day, Tuesday 26 January.

The 7 year old gelding, who has earned in excess of $200,000 in prize money, seems to be hitting his best form at the right time.  Two starts back he was a solid finishing 5th at Menangle behind boom horse Bling It On, and last Friday was a close second to the highly promising Mouse In The House at Bathurst in the $12,000 Oberon Cup.

“He went really well at Menangle the week before last which zapped him a bit but after Friday’s run he’s come back near his best” Picker said.

In the Oberon Cup, Condagen settled three back along the marker pegs and charged home along the sprint lane to finish a close second (Neck) to the highly promising Mouse In The House.  Third across the line was Saloon Passage with the KerryAnn Turner trained Stormont Czar hanging on for fourth a mere 2 metres further back.

Condagen has previously tasted minor Goulburn Cup success when in 2014 he finished second to the flying For A Reason who set a race and course record mile rate of 1:54.2 which still stands today.  Behind him on that occasion were the well performed Group 1 winning pacers Suave Stuey Lombo, Scandalman and Terrorway.   

Whilst fields for the Australia Day meeting will not be available until Thursday afternoon, Picker is likely to also be represented by the well performed Glenferrie Baby and Geronimo Beau in the $10,000 Goulburn Mulwaree Council Goulburn City Sprint.

Restricted to C1 country trained pacers, the Picker pair is in career best form.  Geronimo Beau has won 5 of his last 6 starts and most recently was an easy winner of the $11,000 South West Slopes Credit Union pace at Temora’s Carnival of Cups meeting on the 8th January.  

Glenferrie Baby, who has won 3 of her 6 starts this season, is a last winner of a $6,000 pace at Young.  The ultra-consistent mare provides Picker with a strong hand in the Goulburn feature.    

The Hewitt family stable is also busy preparing runners for Goulburn’s main race day.  Leading the way will be Brad Hewitt’s Sweet Molly Oshea who will be nominated for the Cup.  The 5 year old Mach Three mare is yet to win this season but has been placed in Group races and competing against the best at Menangle.  

The Crookwell owned Our Nero Star is a possible starter dependent on how he performs tomorrow evening at Wagga Wagga.  The 4 year old Gotta Go Cullen horse is owned in syndicate by Mick, Nicholas and Emily O’Brien, Ed Abbey, and Tony and Dan Hewitt and was an impressive second up winner at Bathurst on Boxing Day night.  

The Wagga Wagga race being a heat of the Menangle Country Series would see the horse miss Goulburn if he were to qualify for Saturday night’s $25,000 final.  

Others from the stable being aimed for Goulburn include last season’s Derby place getter Spare Me Days and New Zealand import Tullow who are being prepared for the $18,000 Goulburn Rose pace.

The Australia Day meeting will commence about 1.30 pm and aside from the action packed racing, fans will be entertained all afternoon by live music performances, mini trotting, and the inaugural ‘challenge of the codes’ time trial series.  

Children will have a designated play area within close sight of the grand stand and will be entertained by a jumping castle, face painting, the Magic Jester magician and numerous other activities being organized by the Goulburn High School child studies class.

For all the latest Goulburn harness racing news visit the club’s website at www.goulburnpaceway.com.au