Sydney’s top trainer Chris Waller has opted for a Queensland run in Saturday’s Caloundra Cup over a home start at Rosehill Gardens for his last start Brisbane winner Index Linked.

Tattersall’s Cup winner Index Linked is on a quick back-up into Saturday’s 2016 Caloundra Cup in Queensland. Photo: Daniel Costello.

A rising nine-year-old son of Dansili, Index Linked was a dual nominee across two states for the weekend entered for both the Listed ATC Winter Cup (2400m) in Sydney as well as the Sunshine Coast’s $175,000 Listed Cellar Maintenance Australia Caloundra Cup (2400m).

He skips a return to NSW and heads the 13-starter Caloundra Cup field seeking back-to-back Queensland Black-Type wins.

Last Saturday he improved on a Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) fifth to win the Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup (2200m) at Eagle Farm.

On the quick back-up and going up from 57kg to 60kg, the veteran returns to the mile and a half for the Caloundra Cup and jumps from barrier 11 with Kerrin McEvoy replacing Hugh Bowman in the saddle.

Following Index Linked in the Caloundra Cup field and weights this Queensland Winter Racing Carnival is fellow import, the David Vandyke-trained Maurus (59kg).

Medicean five-year-old Maurus is trained locally by Vandyke who made a move from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast this year and enjoyed a Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) win on June 18 carrying 58kg.

Damian Browne retains the ride on the in-form stayer who jumps from gate eight on the weekend in his first 2400m run since the 2015 The Metropolitan (11^th).

Drawn the outside barrier (13) is the Darren Weir-trained Puccini, set to carry 58kg with Michael Cahill in the saddle of the Encosta De Lago five-year-old.

Winner of the 2014 New Zealand Derby as a three-year-old, Puccini hasn’t been first past the post since another Group 1 win in NZ in January last year.

He drops from 59.5kg last start to 58kg this weekend though after a fourth to Maurus in the Ipswich Cup.

The other best out of the Ipswich Cup backing up in the Caloundra edition this winter is the Michael Nolan-trained runner-up from Toowoomba Jumbo Prince.

The smart Outback Prince four-year-old was beaten 3.5 lengths last time out carrying 56.5kg and is looking to finish closer with one kilo less for his rematch with Maurus this weekend.

Dale Healey’s Ipswich Cup third placed seven-year-old Instrumentalist also takes on his last start conquerors having his maiden Sunshine Coast run over a distance he boasts three wins and a third from six previous starts at.

Other notable Caloundra Cup acceptors include local Viscount seven-year-old Tunes coming off a fifth in Randwick’s Stayers Cup (3200m) from June 11, the Tony Gollan-trained last start Ipswich winner Amexed and Stuart Kendrick’s Sebring filly Typing.

Typing ran a disappointing 15^th to Tsaritsa in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) as a $61 outsider two back before a brave second over 2000m at Doomben on June 22.

She has her first run over further than that distance on Saturday but seems to relish a staying race and drops from 59kg last start to the 54kg minimum.

See below for the full Caloundra Cup 2016 field, barriers, jockeys and weights before heading to our No. 1 recommended bookie Ladbrokes.com.au for all your weekend winter racing needs!

2016 Caloundra Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw

Caloundra Race 7 (3:57pm) – 02/07/2016