Caption: Trainer Matthew Lanigan (centre) with Weblec Eagle flanked by his partner Emily Azzopardi (left) and dad Gerald, after success in the 2019 Gold FM Sale Cup (Photo: BlueStream Pictures)

GOLD FM SALE CUP (650m)
Group 1

$75,000 first prizemoney
Heats December 20

Final December 26

By TERRY WILSON

THEY could be dancing in the streets of Sale on Boxing Day if a strong local bond of owners and trainer can succeed in the GOLD FM Sale Cup (650m).
Trainer Matt Clark has set smart Playlist for the event, which carries Group 1 status with $75,000 for first and is the only G1 event held in provincial Victoria.
Clark has never had a runner in the Sale Cup but with Playlist he has a strong chance.
Playlist (Aussie Infrared-Dundee Ally) is already a G1 winner after victory in the Vic Peters Classic in Sydney in October when he beat litter brother Catch The Thief (which ran fifth).
Clark doubts if Catch The Thief will run at Sale, but he is confident Playlist can do the right thing by the locals.
The dog is part-owned by Sale club sponsor Louie Cardillo, track manager Gary Roberts and office manager Bree Markovic.
“I’d love to win it because it is pretty much my home town cup, the dog has home-town owners and he’s home-town bred,” said Clark whose base is at Briagolong, just outside Sale.
“He’s no slouch and is already a Group 1 winner.”
The only query over Playlist is the 650m journey of the Cup.
“But I reckon he’ll get it – his mother won over 600 metres.”
Clark said his father-in-law Chris Johannsen has won a Cup though, with Vino Ceritas in 2000.
Meanwhile defending Cup champion Weblec Eagle (Barcia Bale-Weblec Belle) sustained a slight monkey muscle strain when third in a heat of the G1 Hume Cup (600m) at The Meadows on October 24.
Young trainer Matthew Lanigan said last year’s Sale Cup winner is going to be touch and go, whether the black dog is right to chase two in a row.

“That’s the ultimate plan to get him back again,” said Lanigan.
“He’s had a couple of months off so I hope to give him a couple of 600-metre runs and maybe one or two others.”
Last year Weblec Eagle ($9) beat favourite Waging War by 1½ lengths.
Cup day on Boxing Day at Sale has a main support act in the Sprint Classic (440m) worth $10,000.
The Sale Cup is part of the Gippsland Festival of Racing which this year features major races at Sale, Warragul and Cranbourne and will next year revert back to the inclusion of Traralgon, which is out of action at the moment because of track renovations.