Proven two miler Yogi has been lumped with 60kg top weight for Saturday’s Listed $200,000 Triple M’s Big Breakfast Queensland Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm.
Yogi carried 57kg to win the Listed $150,000 Ladbrokes Sandown Cup over 3200m at Sandown at the end of the 2018 Melbourne Spring Carnival when prepared by disgraced trainer Darren Weir before being transferred to the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable.
The six year old was quickly back in the winner’s stall with a first up win for his new stable in the $125,000 The Big Screen Company Handicap over 1800m at Caulfield on February 9.
Yogi has had a further four starts for Maher and Eustace and include an eighth behind Harlem in the Group 1 $1.5m Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 9 and a last start second to Destiny’s Kiss in the Listed $150,000 Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on June 15.
Maher and Eustace also have last start Rosehill winner Azuro among the Queensland Cup nominations and the five year old has been allocated the 54kg minimum.
Azuro is also a proven two mile winner, coming off a last win in the 3200m $125,000 Stayer’s Cup at Rosehill on June 29.
Maher and Eustace have a large Victorian set up with stables at Caulfield, Pakenham, Ballarat and Balnaring while Annabel Neasham runs their Sydney base at Warwick Farm where Azuro and Yogi are now spending some time and will head to Brisbane later in the week.
“Azuro was very strong at the end of the 3200 metres in the Stayer’s Cup and Yogi won at the distance in the Sandown Cup where Azuro was second,” Neasham told AAP.
“It is hard to get a line on who will run in Brisbane but our horses have the staying form on the board.
“They don’t get many chances to run over 3200 metres and we have to take them when they come.”
The Chris Waller trained Exoteric has been given the second top weight at 56.5kg while the Kiwi stayer Sampson and the European import Saunter Boy with 55kg are the only other entries not on the 54kg minimum.
Weights for the 2019 Queensland Cup (3200m)
# | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | True Weight | Hcp Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 071x1850x2 | YOGI (NZ) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 1 | 60kg | 60kg | 104 |
2 | 4412470275 | SAMPSON (NZ) | G | 9 | Howard Mathews | 2= | 55kg | 55kg | 94 |
3 | 811953×455 | SAUNTER BOY (FR) | G | 6 | Kris Lees | 2= | 55kg | 55kg | 94 |
4 | 132×883061 | AZURO (FR) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 4= | 54kg | 51.5kg | 87 |
5 | 267×856582 | DOUKHAN (IRE) | G | 10 | Kris Lees | 4= | 54kg | 51.5kg | 87 |
6 | 71×4095036 | MAZAZ (IRE) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 6 | 54kg | 50.5kg | 85 |
7 | 563258×124 | SOCIAL ELEMENT (NZ) | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 7 | 54kg | 49kg | 82 |
8 | 032×121253 | TRAVISTEE (NZ) | M | 5 | Paul Jenkins | 8 | 54kg | 46.5kg | 81 |
9 | 8474746112 | OUR MANTRA | G | 4 | Anderson Heathcote Racing | 9 | 54kg | 46.5kg | 77 |
10 | 353×419109 | I’LL MISS YOU | M | 7 | Julie Pratten | 10 | 54kg | 44kg | 76 |
11 | 50×7005334 | HANG | G | 4 | Michael Nolan | 11 | 54kg | 45kg | 74 |
12 | 2206951201 | HIGH WIND | G | 6 | Tony Gollan | 12 | 54kg | 43.5kg | 71 |
13 | 5170467261 | HUSSON’S PRIDE | G | 4 | Kelly Doughty | 13 | 54kg | 39kg | 62 |
14 | 3710×92634 | POLLINATOR (NZ) | M | 4 | Tony Gollan | 14 | 54kg | 36kg | 60 |
15 | 512×706048 | EXOTERIC (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 15 | 56.5kg | 56.5kg | 97 |