Bendigo trainer Matthew Enright proud to fly the hometown flag in Group 3 Bendigo Cup

From the moment the now six-year-old gelding produced a bold and daring fourth in last year's $500,000 Group 3 Apiam Bendigo Cup, his trainer Matthew Enright has had the 2023 cup date circled on his calendar.

The son of Tavistock and Wild About Me was no certainty to be there as little as a few days ago, but as fate would have it, he was able to sneak into the field when the final acceptances were confirmed on Monday.

His inclusion in the field - now reduced to 15 runners following Tuesday's scratching of Muramasa - will ensure plenty of hometown interest in the prestigious 2400m feature event.

Enright is the first to admit Wertheimer, the rank outsider at 150-1, will have his work cut out for him in what shapes as one of the strongest editions of the cup in recent times.

But the former jockey can see plenty of comparisons between Wertheimer's lead up to this year's Bendigo Cup and last year.

"He is the rank outsider again ... but I probably would have preferred a bit of rain this year like last year," he said.

"Regardless, we set him for the race again this year and we've followed the same template as last year.

"Unfortunately, the Horsham Cup (result) doesn't look too good, but he was wide without cover on a turning track and I felt as if he wasn't out three-wide, he would have run second or third.

"He needed to be on the fence as the grass was so much shorter in there than two, three or four off the fence.

"But his sectionals were okay considering what he did, so I am happy to run him.

"They did run four seconds quicker in that Horsham Cup than they did the year before, which gives you a bit of encouragement.

"My best chance was to get rain, but that won't happen.

"But he's very sound and has pulled up great after Horsham, so we will roll the dice and see where we end up."

While he is winless in 10 starts since coming across from South Australia in early to mid 2022, Wertheimer has proven to be a particularly honest and gutsy performer, particularly at country cup level.

His six starts for Enright have produced three placings and three fourths, headlined by his brave effort in last year's Bendigo Cup when he shaped as the winner at the 200m before gradually being overrun.

A modest 71 rater in comparison to many of his cup rivals on Wednesday, headed by the likes of the topweight Luncies (104), Hezashocka (102), the early favourite Interpretation (95) and Suizuro (95), Wertheimer has consistently punched above his weight.

"He hasn't won a race for me, but he's certainly gone up a few levels from his Adelaide form," Enright said.

"He's been unlucky - he was beaten a nose in the Horsham Cup last year and then he got beaten by a length in the Werribee Cup, which was probably the one that got away.

"Other than his Moonee Valley run at the end of his last prep, over 2000m and further his form has been very good. Not top class, but certainly around those benchmark 90 horses.

"It's not lost on me, there are easier races to tackle, but you can't beat having a horse that can run in your hometown cup.

"We haven't got the conditions we would have preferred, but just to get him here after last year is a good achievement.

"Obviously we are only a small stable - an extremely small stable.

"We've got three runners on the day, so I'm hoping one of them puts their hand up."

Wertheimer is ideally drawn in barrier three to get a similar run to last year on the inside, just behind the leaders.

He will be ridden by Alana Kelly, who gave him a peach of a ride in last year's Bendigo Cup, and has a trio of country cup placings aboard the former Group 1 Victoria Derby starter.

It will be the 24-year-old's first ride on Wertheimer since last year's Werribee Cup in December and comes just a few months after her return to racing from the injuries she sustained in a harrowing fall at Donald, which claimed the life of fellow jockey Dean Holland.

The ride will be her first in a Group race since her return.

Enright hoped the decision to reunite Kelly with Wertheimer could provide both with a boost.

"He does run very well for her," he said.

"She has battled a bit since the Dean Holland incident and I'm hoping a Bendigo Cup is a bit of a lift for her.

"She has gone better on him than anyone and she rode him really well in it last year."

Meanwhile, despite a wide barrier draw (10), Enright is encouraged by the chances of his New Zealand import Buoyantsea in the 1400m benchmark 78 (race nine).

A dual stakes race winner across the Tasman, the five-year-old gelding will be fourth-up from a long break and should be nearing his peak after running in the much stronger Listed Weekend Hussler (1400m) earlier this month.

"He'll probably have to take his medicine from that draw and go back, but I'm hoping they can run on," Enright said.

"We've just had a few little problems with his feet, but hopefully we are on top of them.

"I see they have got him at $41. I don't think he's a $41 shot.

"I think he'll run well.

Enright's first runner of the day comes up in the 1600m benchmark 70 (race four) with Salassi.

He is expecting some improvement third-up.

"His two runs have been very good and the best thing about him is he has the three-kilo claim (for Jaylah Kennedy), so he comes in at 53kg," he said.

"He's more of a one pacer and I feel as though if he can find the lead or sit outside the leader and dictate the race, I reckon he will run extremely well.

"It will be interesting to see if he has that change-up speed that he needs, but he is going well."

2023 Horsham Cup (2100m) - fourth

2023 Murtoa Cup (20250m) - second

2022 Werribee Cup (2000m) - third

2022 Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) - fourth

2022 Horsham Cup (2100m) - second

2022 Murtoa Cup (2050m) - fourth

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