Peter Dellar will attempt to claim his second Port Hedland Cup (2200m) success in five years when he saddles top chance Great Wall Of China in the $40,000 staying feature on Monday.
Great Wall Of China, formerly in the hands of leading trainer Adam Durrant, stamped his credentials with a strong win in last week’s Roebourne Cup (2200m).
The Giant’s Causeway stallion finished one length clear of the strong finishing Racso and the consistent Indamani who was close up in third.
That pair along with last-start winner Junior Soprano, the lightly-raced Parador and Chenonceau Lady are also capable of figuring in the finish.
Junior Soprano is proven at the journey and enjoys the Port Hedland surface with two wins and four placings from his eight appearances.
Parador, a five-year-old gelding by Tiger Hill, has enjoyed a top campaign and hasn’t missed a cheque with three wins and three seconds from six starts.
Prepared at South Hedland by Bob Bell, Parador is having his first attempt at the journey in nine life time starts.
Great Wall Of China will have the services of Cups specialist Peter Hall who will weave his magic from an outside gate in ten.
Hall completed the recent 2011-12 racing season with victories in the Boulder Cup, Bunbury Cup, Pinjarra Cup and Mount Barker Cup.
Dellar prepared Rocky Kwila to victory in the 2007 Port Hedland Cup; the Mister Kwila gelding, ridden by John Claite, won easily by over four lengths.