Dual Group 1 winner Lucky Hussler heads the weights for the Group 2 $175,000 Moreton Cup (1200m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Lucky Hussler, above, haeds up the nominations for the 2018 Moreton Cup at the Sunshine Coast. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Lucky Hussler, above, haeds up the nominations for the 2018 Moreton Cup at the Sunshine Coast. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Lucky Hussler is one three Darren Weir trained sprinters among the nineteen nominations for the Moreton Cup which is run under set weights plus penalties conditions.

Weir’s other two entries for Stradbroke Handicap qualifier are Handsome Thief and Platinum Angel.

Lucky Hussler’s last race track appearance was a sixth in the $1m Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast in January, the race he won the previous year during the 2016 Magic Millions Carnival.

The eight year is yet to have a start during the 2018 Queensland Winter Racing Carnival but has been a scratching from both the Group 1 $700,000 Kirin Doomben 10,000 (1200m)  and the Group 1 $700,000 Altus Traffic Kingsford-Smith Cup (1350m), both run at Doomben.

Lucky Hussler claimed his first Group 1 trophy during the 2015 Melbourne Autumn Carnival with a win in the Group 1 $400,000 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at The Valley and was back in the Group 1 winner’s stall during the 2015 Spring Carnival with a win in the Group 1 $400,000 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield.

Handsome Thief was a winner two starts back in the Listed $150,000 Midfield Group Wangoom Handicap (1200m) at Warrnambool on May 2 before running seventh in the Group 1 $1m Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 19 while platinum Angel is a last start winner of a 1440m Benchmark 78 Handicap at Caulfield on May 12.

Brisbane’s leading trainer Tony Gollan has two nominations for the Moreton Cup, last start winner I’m A Rippa and six year old Notonyourlife.

I’m A Rippa has worked his way up through the ranks and will head to the Sunshine Coast on the back of a win in the Group 3 $125,000 Flight Centre BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on May 19.

Nominations for the 2018 Moreton Cup (1200m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight Hcp Rating
1 5x6001056x LUCKY HUSSLER G 8 Darren Weir 1 61kg 112
2 22027×0780 AIDE MEMOIRE (NZ) M 6 Kris Lees 2 58.5kg 103
3 0x21812x31 I’M A RIPPA G 4 Tony Gollan 3 58kg 97
4 x700370x34 KURO (NZ) G 6 John O’Shea 4 57kg 102
5 12234430×5 THE MONSTAR G 7 Brett Cavanough 5 57kg 103
6 611x84241x CALANDA G 4 Peter & Paul Snowden 6 57kg 103
7 5909701217 IN HIS STRIDE G 5 Rex Lipp 7 56.5kg 95
8 223x152x47 NOTONYOURLIFE M 6 Tony Gollan 8 54.5kg 90
9 1×32721617 HANDSOME THIEF (IRE) G 5 Darren Weir 9 56.5kg 97
10 10x0700x90 QUATRONIC G 5 Matthew Dunn 10 56.5kg 92
11 5x0287x141 IRISH CONSTABULARY G 9 John Symons & Sheila Laxon 11 56kg 95
12 254457×318 RINGO’S A ROCKSTAR G 4 Norm Stephens 12 56kg 85
13 115x457x52 SIR DONALD G 4 Greg Eurell 13 56kg 78
14 x21376x497 CHALK G 4 Wendy Roche 14 56kg 68
15 x46332x581 SUPER SUAVE G 4 Liam Birchley 15 56kg 74
16 15028x26x0 LEGLESS VEUVE (NZ) M 4 Henry Dwyer 16 57kg 98
17 11128x230x PEPPERANO M 5 Liam Birchley 17 54kg 88
18 611316×138 BELFLYER G 6 John Shelton 18 56kg 87
19 x31x285131 PLATINUM ANGEL F 3 Darren Weir 19 53kg 76.5

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.