Not Usual Glorious begins campaign to the 2025 Swan Hill Cup

South Australian trainer Travis Doudle is keeping his options open for durable veteran Not Usual Glorious as he targets back-to-back victories in the Swan Hill Cup next month.

After a successful first-up win on soft ground at Warrnambool, the gelding is entered for two races at Sandown this Saturday, but Doudle says no final decision has been made as track conditions will guide their plans.

“I will keep an eye on progressive acceptances and see how the races are unfolding and then I’ll be keeping an eye on the weather,” Doudle explained. “The wetter better for him.”

Not Usual Glorious has been assigned 62.5kg in a benchmark 84 over 1600m and 54.5kg in a benchmark 100 over 1800m, with both races considered potential lead-ins to Swan Hill.

Doudle believes the gelding is in top condition and said a strong gallop on Tuesday confirmed he’s ready to go, should conditions allow.

“He’s in a really good place at the moment, so we’re just keeping him ticking over,” he said. “We can pull the trigger whenever we find the right race.”

If track conditions turn wet for the Swan Hill carnival, Doudle believes Not Usual Glorious will be right at home.

“We know that we will get something of an affected track on the last day, and we know that he loves it,” he said. “It just depends on track conditions where we head.”

While Sydney remains an outside chance, the 14-hour trip from Adelaide remains a significant hurdle.

“It’s a bit of a journey and that’s probably what stops us going up there more than I would like,” Doudle said.

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