Time To Plunder is rated a rank outsider in Saturday’s Group 2 QTC Cup (1200m) and trainer Liam Birchley has conceded the six-year-old will probably need the Doomben course to experience notable rain if he’s any chance of success.
Time To Plunder will need rain if to figure in Saturday’s Group 1 QTC Cup at Doomben. Photo: Daniel Costello
Time To Plunder has posted eight race wins and a further nine minors over his 35 career starts so far and returned to racing in the Listed Bribie Handicap (1000m) on May 16th, but failed to make much of an impact on what was a firm Sunshine Coast racing surface.
Allocated the ideal barrier 3, Birchley is pleased with the condition of the son of Holy Roman Emperor but is well aware he will face a very talented field, and is hoping for rain to somewhat level out the playing field in the 2015 QTC Cup.
“He’s another one that’s still sort of getting ready to some degree,” Birchley told Racing Ahead.
“If we had a little bit of weather on our side rain-wise I’d definitely be a lot more confident.
“They may just be a little nippy for him with the way the weather is at the moment.”
Stamping his claims as one to watch from his first competitive appearance on course in early 2011, Time To Plunder began his racing career under the guidance of Mark Wallace; passing through the stables of Anthony Cummings before arriving in the care of Birchley in early 2013.
Posting several commendable results through the 2014 Brisbane Winter Carnival, the gelding out of Celtic Lass was unable to match the late pace of subsequent Group 1 champion Tiger Tees in the Listed Falvelon (1200m) but beat a talented field to the line in the Robotic Surgery Plate (1200m) on BTC Cup Day.
Having run second to in the Greys race over 1400m on Melbourne Cup Day, Time To Plunder returned to Brisbane for success in the Listed Keith Noud Quality (1200m) on November 22nd; continuing to impress through summer and returning to the paddock after placing third in each of the Listed City Of Toowoomba Quality (1625m) and Listed Sunshine Coast Cup (1400m).
Ladbrokes.com.au is currently offering the best 2015 QTC Cup odds, for which Time To Plunder can be taken at a generous quote of $31 for success.
