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Owners Jonathan Munz and Marita Batten have a strong hand in Wednesday's Mornington Cup as they bid for their fourth victory in the race.
Last start metropolitan winners Above Deck and Correct Amoondo will represent Munz and Batten who won the $200,000 Listed Race three times with the Tony Noonan-trained Gunnamatta (2002-2004) who was ridden on each occasion by Damien Oliver.
Above Deck, to be ridden by Nick Ryan, drew the outside barrier in the 13-horse field while Correct Amoondo, to be handled by leading apprentice Blake Shinn, drew the inside gate.
Ryan replaces Craig Newitt who rode a masterly race on Above Deck who was locked up on the fence before securing a late run to take out an 1800m race at Caulfield on February 11, beating Mornington Cup rival Ulysses and Toulouse Lautrec.
Newitt will be in Tasmania to partner Hobart Cup winner True Courser in Wednesday's $300,000 Launceston Cup (2400m).
Ryan won last year's Mornington Cup on the Lee Freedman-trained Kounthekash who is topweight with 57kg and will be ridden by Noel Callow.
Shinn replaces currently suspended apprentice Daniel Moor who won the Comedy King Hcp (1700m) on Correct Amoondo at Flemington on February 4, beating Bust Up and Wild Classic.
Trainer Rod Douglas said Correct Amoondo who is by Snippets, the sire of Gunnamatta, wasn't living up to his promise with blinkers on.
"I said to Jonathan `let's take the blinkers off and ride him quiet," Douglas said.
With the shades off Correct Amoondo resumed over 1400m at Sandown on January 26 and after settling second last of the 11 runners, worked home solidly to finish fourth, less than a length behind the winner O'Canarvass.
After that performance, the gelding's last-start win at Flemington was certainly no surprise.
"He had always shown us ability. He led when he ran second to Zipping at Sandown last spring," Douglas said.
"He's had injuries and is lightly raced for a five-year-old, but he's really thriving now."
Correct Amoondo has raced 12 times for three wins and three placings, but before this preparation his only wins were in a Bendigo Maiden (1600m) and in a Tatura Class 2 (1980m) in April last year.
While Correct Amoondo is one of the seven acceptors on the minimum (54kg), the Jim Conlan-trained Above Deck will carry 54.5kg.
© 2010 Published 21/02/06
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