Jayne Davies and Chris Alford are looking to turn the clock back in tonight's $350,000 Group 1 SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup at Moonee Valley.
It was 12 years ago that champion reinsman Alford teamed with superstar pacer Golden Reign to carry the famous all green silks to victory in what remains his only win in the Grand Circuit feature.
Clyde-based Davies might be yet to officially get her name on the Victoria Cup honour roll, but she played an important role in helping her partner, Noel Alexander, get Golden Reign onto the list all those years ago.
The combination will be back to try and do it again on tonight with Penny Veejay, who is one of the leading fancies for this year's 2575-metre mobile barrier showpiece.
The seven-year-old has been one of the standout performers of the season to date.
While he wasn't himself when fourth in the Cranbourne Cup on December 1, he bounced back with a fine second to Smoken Up in last Saturday night's Group 3 Popular Alm Free-For-All to prove he was on track to run a huge race.
"He got crook leading up to the Cranbourne Cup, so that's why he didn't go so good there, but the run last week topped him off nicely," the trainer said.
"He had a lovely run and got home nicely in the straight, so we were very happy with him. He's brightened up nicely and is going to be cherry ripe."
Penny Veejay's chances received an added boost at Tuesday afternoon's barrier draw.
Not only did the son of Village Jasper, a $5 chance in TAB Sportsbet's fixed odds market, draw perfectly in gate three, main dangers Sting Lika Bee ($2.30, barrier 12) and Smoken Up ($6.50, barrier seven) drew poorly.
"Our draw's much better than what Stinga (Sting Lika Bee) and a couple of the others got," Davies said.
"But it's a big race and anything can happen. Sometimes good draws don't always play into your hands, but I'm sure Chris will make the most of it."
The SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup is race eight on the card and will be run at 10pm.
