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If he’s not careful, Michael Travers could soon own the ‘Country Cup King of the Southern Districts’ moniker.

While only 56 wins into his fledgling training career, the former champion country jockey has developed a winning affinity with Country Cups. 

Diamond Carat (Quayde Krogh) was his first feature-race winner for the stable. She took out the 2024 Adelong Cup before Dancing In The Sky (Sebastian Galea) triumphed in the 2024 Ardlethan Picnic Cup. 

Since January, the Wagga stable has added three more pieces of silverware to the cabinet.

Stable stalwart Mathrin won back-to-back features. Mathew Cahill rode the 7YO to victory in the Cowra Cup on January 19 before Amy O’Driscoll jumped aboard the Deep Field mare and won the Corowa Cup on March 8. 

Kahawaty (Amy O’Driscoll) continued MTR’s hot run on February 15, winning the time-honoured Holbrook Cup. 

Dynamic One (Jean Van Overmeire) finished an eye-catching third in the Murrumbidgee Cup at Wagga on Sunday, and Travers won’t stop there, with his eyes set on Saturday’s Joe Cahill Transport Tocumwal Gold Cup.

Kahawaty, ridden by John Kissick, will take on the $20,000 feature over the 1300m journey. 

“She should run a good race,” Travers said. 

“Mojo (Music) and a few others will go forward, and they always run along in these types of races, so hopefully, we’re running fourth or fifth, giving her every opportunity. 

“John will look to position her a couple of lengths off them, get her to relax, and hopefully be in a good enough position to allow her to win if she is good enough.” 

Despite finishing ninth, beaten 3.8 lengths in the $40,000 Wagga Town Plate Prelude (1200m) on Sunday, the 6YO’s run was good. 

Kahawaty was caught behind a wall of gallopers for O’Driscoll and looked full of running without much luck. 

Stepping back in grade, the Pride Of Dubai mare appears well-placed at Tocumwal.

“She’s been a good pick-up for the stable, and Amy has been an integral part of it,” Travers said. 

“Amy rides the horse really well, and when we’ve been able to drop back in grade, she’s run well, and hopefully, that’s the case at Tocumwal.”

Travers has fond memories of Tocumwal.

 “I rode my first-ever winner there and had my first fall there, so it’s been good and bad,” Travers laughed. 

“It was at my sixth race ride, and I won on Markillies for my boss Rob Wellington after I had gone out there and was a certainty beaten before that, so I kind of made up for it at Tocumwal.

“Still, I’ve had a lot of luck at Tocumwal over the years and had my Dad come out and watch me win there; it’s a good track.”

While Travers hopes to win the Easter Saturday feature at Tocumwal, his attention is set on Thursday’s $200,000 Albury Gold Cup, where Mathrin and Dynamic One (Cory Parish) are entered. 

A 2000m feature and Big Dance qualifier, Travers will need a scratching or two to see his runners go around. He suggested Dynamic One was his stable’s leading chance after his good third placing in Sunday’s Murrumbidgee Cup over the 1800m journey.

“They’re long shots for a reason and well and truly out of their depth,” Travers said. 

“Mathrin probably won’t go around in the (Albury) Cup and will start in the other race (1400m Benchmark 74 Handicap), but Dynamic One deserves the chance. 

“He just about wins on Sunday if he didn’t miss the (transferred) Albury Cup or Gundagai Cup, but missing those races meant he was six weeks between runs, so I thought it was a good effort at Wagga; he just peaked on his run.  

“It’s a tough race at Albury, but on that run at Wagga, he deserves a chance, and after Albury, we may drop him back to a rating race or take him to town for a midweek, but we believe in his ability, and when he bobs up, it will be worth it.”

Travers will have up to three runners at Albury, with Gold Tracker (John Kissick) also going around in the 1175m Benchmark 58 Handicap.

Words: Jeff Hanson
Image: Holbrook Race Club