It has been an interrupted 2025 for talented trainer-driver Kyle Marshall, who has spent several months on the sidelines due to injury.
But the 31-year-old is back and ready to take on the Downtowner Warragul Pacing Cup this Monday with Can Be A Ruebe.
Three heats were run to determine the field for the Cup final - one each at Kilmore, Bendigo and Cranbourne - with Marshall and Can Be A Ruebe dominating the last of those qualifiers at his former home track.
The smart four-year-old mare worked her way to the front and raced clear of her rivals to win hard-held by Marshall last Sunday.
“She felt super at Cranbourne, a lot sharper than when she raced at Maryborough,” the Ballan-based trainer-driver said.
“I think she’s well-conditioned now to be able to work in the Cup like she did at Cranbourne, and she’s trained on well since.”
Can Be A Ruebe has drawn barrier 10, with Bendigo heat winner Dooo Dont Think in barrier six and Kilmore victor Muselet in two.
“I’m happy enough with the barrier,” Marshall noted. “I think she’s probably best left out of the real early burn, and over the distance (2210m) we’ve got plenty of time to make a move if the tempo allows.
“It would be great to win a Warragul Cup, and it's exciting to just even be in it.
“The club does a great job, and winning would definitely make the drive home feel shorter.”
Marshall was forced to the sidelines with an ankle injury at the start of the year, and admitted the injury had proved a blessing in disguise as the time away from the sulky made him fall in love with driving again.
“I think now I’m more settled and confident compared to when I was first setting up,” said Marshall, reflecting on the time when he and partner Sophie Jefferies moved from New Zealand to Victoria in early 2023.
"I guess for quite a while (prior to the injury) I was relying on Chris (Alford) a lot. I would still drive here and there, but it wasn’t until I missed it that I realised I really want to be driving.
“It’s really good to be back driving. The time off with injury wasn’t ideal, but being away from race-day driving made me really miss it and hungry to get back into it.”
Marshall is also making the trip to Warragul with Ata Rangi.
“Ata Rangi is very consistent. Hopefully one day the penny drops with him, but I think he’d be pretty happy to place again,” he said.
The Warragul Cup meeting kicks-off with the first race at 12.53pm, before the Eddie Evison Memorial Warragul Trotters Cup as race four at 2.38pm and the Downtowner Warragul Pacing Cup Final as race six at 3.48pm.
It is sure to be a great afternoon of harness racing, with off-track highlights including a $10,000 lucky racegoer giveaway.