Connections hoping patience pays off with Reprisal at Tamworth

A nine-week break, and the patience shown while waiting for a drier surface, are set to pay dividends for an underrated local five-year-old when he resumes at Monday’s feature Tamworth meeting.

Reprisal, a sparingly raced son of multiple group 1 winner Trapeze Artist in the Troy O’Neile stable, tackles a benchmark 58 handicap over 1000m to close a very competitive and open meeting.

The gelding, which started his career in Victoria before being transferred to the New England region of NSW, has not raced since charging home to miss by a long neck in similar company in early April.

And as is the pattern for Reprisal, he again re-emerges at home nice and fresh in a very suitable sprint.

Heading into one of its busiest times of the year, track officials will be buoyed by the clearing weather, with the surface likely to improve to about soft 5, or even firmer, by the start of the meeting.

And that’s music to the ears of many connections who have spent plenty of time sidestepping heavy tracks – no more so than the team behind Reprisal.

Both his wins so far have come early in the preparation, and despite not having publicly trialled for this return, the stable has shown its hand by booking top jockey Aaron Bullock to ride.

In one of several open betting races on the program, Reprisal opened about $6 behind early favourite Iknowyou ($4.50), from the Cavanough stable at Scone.

A first-up win for Reprisal could well cap a big day in the saddle for Bullock. He has a strong book of rides, starting with promising filly Oakfield Nevada for the Kris Lees stable in the opening maiden plate over a mile, before hopping aboard well-fancied three-year-old Ordinary Angel for the Todd Howlett yard in a Maiden Hcp over 1200m.

Supplied by Racing NSW.