BY TOM BARBER - Daily Liberal 4 August 2023

Knife's Edge has already qualified for a shot at the $3 million Big Dance but that isn't stopping Garry Lunn from testing his prized gelding.

The seven-year-old gelding will be in action on Sunday in the Bankstown Sports Club Forbes Cup (1600m), yet another qualifier for the Big Dance.

But having won the Coonabarabran Cup late last year, Knife's Edge has already qualified to be considered for the race on Melbourne Cup Day at Randwick.

One of just a handful of country-based trainers set to contest Sunday's feature race, Lunn is eager to see how Knife's Edge can go.

"I reckon he can go well, if you take that one of Gai Waterhouse's out it's a pretty even field," he said.

"Her horse is supposed to be racing on Saturday as well so whether it goes to Sydney or Forbes you wouldn't know.

"If it doesn't come then there will be a bit of change in the betting because it is a short favourite and everything else is around $8.

"I went through the field and I think he is as good of a chance as any in the race, I wouldn't swap him for anything."

According to the punters, Waterhouse and Adrian Bott's Kangaroo Court is the runner to beat and understandably so.

With just five career starts to his name, Kangaroo Court has won two races and scored a second-place finish in another.

All three of those place finishes have been this preparation as well but the horse could be scratched depending on what happens on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Knife's Edge has been somewhat unlucky since returning to the track, finishing second in both his starts prior to Sunday.

Needing a bit of luck on Sunday, Lunn believes the gelding is in the right position to do something special.

"He probably should've won at Mudgee with any luck," he said.

"Even at Gunnedah, he came around the corner and got checked. Both of his runs have been super.

"I know they haven't been in overly strong races but you can only meet what you can meet. He gets down in the weight too.

"He is a good sort of horse fresh, he goes really well fresh. The mile should suit him but it's tough over at Forbes.

"You want an 1800-2000m horse to win over there and that's the horse he is."

Mathew Cahill will be in the saddle for Lunn and he has full faith in the jockey, largely thanks to his experience.

"I've got the right jockey on there, he knows the straight inside and out, he said.

"You don't get any better, he's got everything going his way. He drew barrier 10 but I'd rather him start wider because he hasn't got the speed to hold a position."

Fellow Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm will have both Notabadidea and Cherry Blue in the Forbes Cup.