With stewards posting a good (4) track for Gunnedah Cup Day on Monday the chances of two horses in the feature races have improved substantially.
The Greg Hickman-trained Dream Folk who lines up in the Hopefuel Gunnedah Cup (1600m) and the Melissa Dennett runner Crooked Blaze in the Fuchs Lubricants Lightning Handicap (1000m) have never returned to the winner's stall on anything but a good track.
Dream Folk has raced on soft and heavy tracks on 16 occasions without winning whilst Crooked Blaze's efforts on wet tracks have yielded just one placing from 12 starts with Dream Folk and Crooked Blaze both seven-time winners on good ground.
The Greg Hickman-trained Dream Folk certainly doesn't win out of turn these days but to be fair to the eight-year-old he has been contesting stronger races in recent times including a two-length sixth at Warwick Farm resuming on a soft track and was twice placed at Randwick last time in.
Dream Folk won't get a better chance to return to the winner's list and with Greg Hickman hailing from Gunnedah there is little doubt Dream Folk will be primed for a big performance.
Crooked Blaze is close to a win after finishing less than a length form the winner in the Kirby Handicap at Grafton on July 13 before finishing third in the Dan Baker Sprint on Coffs Harbour Cup Day when he didn't get much room in the straight.
Crooked Blaze is drawn to get all the favours in running from barrier three and looks well placed to record his eighth career win.
