Greg Bennett has tasted success at a Moonee Valley Hunter Cup meeting in the past and with the harness track to be farewelled this Saturday night, the leading reinsman in New South Wales is hoping to do it all over again. Bennett drove Lost In The Park to victory in the Australasian Trotting Championship on Hunter Cup night in 2005 and while it was great to win a Gr.1 race on such a big occasion, he is hoping to go one better and win the night's feature event, the Hunter Cup this year when he partners Karloo Mick.

Harness racing will be conducted at Moonee Valley for the last time this Saturday night and Bennett understands the importance of the meeting and would love to win the Hunter Cup.

"It will be great to be going around at Moonee Valley at their last meeting" Bennett said.

"I've had a bit of luck there before in feature races especially on Lost In the Park. It's sad in a lot of ways but times move on and progress comes into play."

Karloo Mick has drawn barrier one in the Hunter Cup and Bennett believes it will give the horse another shot at winning his first Gr.1 race.

"I still think the horse has a Gr.1 win in him. Looking back on it the Treuer Memorial at Bankstown was probably his race in December because he finally came up with a good draw but Washakie was too good for him on the night."

"This week's barrier couldn't have been any better."

Karloo Mick was second past the post in the Ballarat Cup last Saturday night but finished third after a protest was upheld when he was deemed to have caused interference to Mr Feelgood in the home straight. Bennett hasn't got a problem with the stewards' decision and knew it could have gone either way.

"I thought the protest was a 50/50 call. Karloo Mick got up the track a cart and he does have a bad habit of doing it, he's actually getting known a little bit for it now."

To try and fix the problem of him shifting in the concluding stages trainer Barry Lew has opted for a gear change and will take the Murphy blind off the inside and put it on the gelding's outside, something Bennett believes will work.

"Barry's the trainer and I am the driver so he knows what is best for the horse. It felt like he was running up the track away from the Murphy blind so it makes sense to try it on the other side to straighten him up a fraction."

"It will be a shame if he happens to win a big one and then lose it in the stewards room. It is a little worry with the horse because he is such a great competitor and he is always in the finish of the big events."

Bennett has another big race drive on Saturday night and will drive kiwi Courage To Rule in the Victoria Derby. Courage To Rule finished fourth in his heat last week at Melton and Bennett was happy with his effort.

"We were quite happy with Courage To Rule on Friday night. He drew the back line, finished fourth and I think they went 55.5 for his last half so it's very hard to be disappointed."

"A front row draw was the key to his chances and while he has drawn six he does have the speed to fire out of the gate. He led the Jewels in New Zealand and handed over to Smiling Shard and finished second. He's got a lot of gatespeed and will be able to put himself in the picture."

A BUSY HAWKE EYES OFF THE OAKS

This week can't get much busier for Canberra trainer Michael Hawke. The 48 year old is an Australia Post parcel contractor by day employing nine people and by night trains eight horses and is the vice president of the Canberra Harness Racing Club.

On Friday night Hawke will head to Harold Park with his filly Moonlight Hussey in a bid to qualify for the NSW Oaks while Sunday will be the biggest day of the year for the Canberra club with the running of the Cup, Derby and the Ackie Hawke Memorial run in honour of Hawke's late father.
"I am probably lucky my Australia Post work has quietened down a little since Christmas because I have plenty to do at the moment" Hawke said.

Moonlight Hussey is undefeated since resuming from a spell and Hawke believes she deserves a crack at the state's best.

"Her two year old form doesn't read all that well but I think she was knocked down five times during the season. She recorded a slick 2:00 minute win last start and proved to me that she was worth taking to town."

Hawke has driven the filly at each of her fifteen starts but will hand the reins to Sydney driver Ben Sarina on Friday night.

"When you are competing against the best you need to have the best driving so Ben will be driving this Friday night. It's taken the filly a while to hit her straps but she is a Christmas Eve foal so she has been giving away a couple of months to her rivals but she's really maturing now."

The $35,000 Canberra Cup has attracted a strong field but there is plenty of work to be done behind the scenes to ensure the meeting runs smoothly.
"The committee has been working hard to make Sunday's Canberra Cup meeting a huge success. The field is very strong and we have organised some interesting attractions too."

"We will find out which is Canberra's fastest sport with two of the Canberra Raiders taking on a couple of the ACT Brumbies, some local AFL players and some soccer players in a 200 metre sprint starting from behind the mobile."

Sunday's Canberra Cup meeting is another of HRNSW's Carnival Of Cups events with the first race scheduled for 5:12pm.