ARMIDALE gelding Awesome Tycoon chases a hat-trick of bush cups when trainer Jane Clement legs up 3kg-claiming apprentice Bronte Simpson in the 1400m Namoi Cotton and B&W Rural Mungindi Cup on Saturday.

Awesome Tycoon won the Boolooroo Cup at Moree picnic races in May, when ridden by Eloise Drews, before annexing the Walgett Cup in June, with 23-year-old Simpson on board.

“Getting the three kilos off is a big bonus, and Bronte is going really good,” Clement said.

Clement, with 40 winners so far this season, next week embarks on a northern caravanning trip with husband Rob.

She hopes Awesome Tycoon can cover a few exes at the border town meeting.

Awesome Tycoon is one of three last-start winners in the bush feature, but gets in with 58kg after Simpson’s claim.

“He’s been good to us, and hasn’t had a lot of starts since joining the stable,” Clement said.

“We were a bit worried about how he’d go on the dirt at Walgett. He got back, but it didn’t worry him at all.”

Topweight Peshwa, trained at Toowoomba by Lindsay Hatch, adds class to the race, but will lump 63kg after apprentice Izzy Neale’s claim.

Jane Clement at Moree races earlier this year. Clement chases the Mungindi Cup on Saturday with in-form five-year-old Awesome Tycoon, winner of the recent Walgett Cup.

Peshwa last Saturday won the 1200m Battle of the Bush Final at Eagle Farm – not bad form for a race like the Mungindi Cup.

“We’re up against a horse that’s just won a $200,000 race in Brisbane, so it won’t be easy,” Clement said.

Clement and Simpson also team up with Chicken Legs in the 1200m BM-50 Handicap, Mythical Moochi in the 1400m class 1 handicap and Adviser in the 1000m BM-45 handicap.

“Adviser is on the verge of winning a race, and I think he’ll go well,” Clement said.

“I’m really happy how he’s going at the moment – he’s jumping out of his skin – and the dirt won’t worry him one bit.”

Simpson, apprenticed to Wyong trainer Sara Ryan at Domeland, kicked off her career with a win at her first ride, when saluting on Kristen Buchanan’s Stylebender at Muswellbrook in early May.

She has now ridden five winners from 40 rides, including a double at Walgett on cup day.

Simpson also has six rides at Tamworth today, including four for Clement.

“Bronte is a lovely kid and had got a good head on her shoulders,” Clement said.

“She can ride at 51kg, and I think she’ll go places, to be honest. She’s very critical of herself, but she does a great job.”

Once Mungindi is wrapped up, Clement and husband Rob will unhitch the horse float, hook up the caravan, and embark on a well-earned break.

“After Mungindi, we’re having a little holiday. The horses will go to the paddock, and we’re heading north,” she laughed.