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| Staff Writer |
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Reigning Victorian Horse of the Year Wentwood won his fourth country cup on Wednesday, claiming the $400,000 Gr.3 ApIam Bendigo Cup (2400m).
Maddie Raymond's training career is just two years old and Wentwood was her first runner in a race at Flemington 21 months ago.
On Wednesday, the Irish import produced a career-best performance to add Bendigo's biggest race to past successes in St Arnaud, Werribee, and Terang Cups.
Harry Coffey, who replaced the suspended Damian Lane, positioned Wentwood ($8.50) prominently behind the pace, obtaining a split between leading pair Constantinople ($31) and Tooradin ($5) with 350 meters remaining.
Smokin' Romans ($2.50 favorite) loomed to issue his challenge and was closing fastest at the finish but failed by a short head, while Taramansour ($10) continued his brilliant form for Matt Cumani in his first Australian preparation since arriving from Ireland, finishing third a further half neck away.
Australia's richest country cup looks to await Wentwood, who has been earmarked as a likely starter in the $500,000 Sportsbet Ballarat Cup (2000m) on November 20. He may yet contest the $2 million G1 Seppelt Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington two weeks before that, on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.