He's been saddling up thoroughbreds for a long time, but the appetite for success refuses to wane for leading Riverina trainer Ron Stubbs.
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Reloading after two of his better gallopers failed to fire in tough assignments over the Scone Cup Carnival, Stubbs is eying off another big raid on the local prizemoney at Monday's feature Albury meeting, and potentially a winning treble.
The stable comes into the meeting behind a healthy seven winners from its last 30 starts stretching over three months, five of them at the Albury base in and around wins at Canberra and Wagga.
Yet that record could be so much bigger, with a further seven runners beaten only by the winner, often with little luck in the run.
And there'll be plenty of keen eyes around the mounting yard at Albury before the opening race when five-year-old newcomer Cooee ($2.50 on TAB) struts his stuff for the first time in a Maiden Plate over 1175m.
By underrated sprint sire Holler, Cooee has looked sharp winning two recent trials and can hit the ground running at home on what should be a firm surface.
Then another lightly raced galloper new to the area presents in the next race, a rapid-fire Maiden Plate over 900m.
Former Victorian filly Capital Rock ($7) will have her third career start, but first outing for the Stubbs camp since transferring up from the Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable last month.
One of the better value chances anywhere across the card arrives in a Class 1 Hcp over 1000m with improving four-year-old mare Wanaloan ($6.50).
A tough daughter of Wandjina, Wanaloan was unlucky finishing hard into a place first-up at home just 10 days ago in a similar line-up, and connections have reported the horse training on strong since.
Finally, in the closing race - a Benchmark 58 Hcp over 900m - talented mare Rumours Abound ($2.30 favourite) will be out to repay the stable and punters who watched her miss a place resuming as a heavily backed favourite in a Class 2 eight weeks ago.
Given a good freshen-up by Stubbs, big-striding Rumours Abound went up a clear $2.50 early favorite despite drawing the outside barrier in a field of 12.
