The Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival action moves to Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday for Queensland Derby Day featuring a double-shot of Group 1 racing including the 2023 Kingsford Smith Cup.
Rothfire is a top chance in the 2023 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.
A field of Stradbroke Handicap hopefuls face off in this year’s Group 1 $1 million Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) where the Joseph Pride-trained Takeover Target Stakes winner Think About It heads betting.
Off his last start win fresh, which took his consecutive victories to five on the trot, the in-form So You Think four-year-old sits top of Kingsford Smith Cup betting at $6 through Ladbrokes.
He has the good lead-up form and nice barrier (8) for jockey Sam Clipperton, but does rise notably in grade here for his Group 1 acid test.
While the favourite is building a solid record each time out there does look big potential for an upset in this year’s Kingsford Smith Cup with a host of other quality Group 1 performers in the mix.
A notable danger following closely at $6.50 in the markets is the local Robert Heathcote-trained Rothfire.
As a two-year-old the son of Rothesay won the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) here in 2020 and he has been a big force in plenty of subsequent Group 1 races both in Queensland and interstate.
He finished a solid fourth in last year’s Kingsford Smith Cup results before a third in the Stradbroke and is looking better this winter than last.
Rothfire was very good second-up last start narrowly taking out the Group 2 Victory Stakes and can win again here ahead of the $3 million Stradbroke in a fortnight’s time.
Also at $6.50 Kingsford Smith Cup odds is Irish import A Case Of You.
On debut down under in the autumn he ran fifth in Melbourne’s William Reid Stakes.
Next-up travelling to Brisbane he crossed under two lengths sixth to Rothfire in the Victory before his improving fifth to The Everest winning three-year-old Giga Kick at big odds in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m).
Money is also coming for the well-backed Godolphin runner Vilana who has firmed from $11 into $7 to improve on his lead-up Doomben 10,000 seventh.
Trainer James Cummings also saddles-up Paulele ($12) from out wide with Ben Melham in the saddle of the summer’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes champ in Perth who was good finishing fourth in the Victory.
Shorter in the markets at $8 to complete the single-figure fancies is the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained King Of Sparta drawn ideally in barrier two as he looks to turn the tables on Rothfire after crossing a neck back second in the Victory.
The 2023 Kingsford Smith Cup is scheduled as Race 8 on Saturday’s nine-race Eagle Farm card with a jump time of 3:57pm (AEST).
