A capacity field of Stradbroke Handicap hopefuls has been released for Saturday’s Group 1 $700,000 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm Racecourse including two-year-old galloper Dubious.
Due to run as Eagle Farm Race 8 at 3:35pm local time, the weight-for-age Kingsford Smith Cup field shapes up as a cracking affair this Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Dubious carries the 48kg lightweight as a juvenile.
Dubious is the first two-year-old in history to run in the Kingsford-Smith Cup field at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.
The in-form son of Not A Single Doubt has suffered an early blow drawing out wide in gate 14 in his attempt at a fourth win from seven career starts on Saturday.
As such, Dubious currently sits as a $16 shot in the early Kingston Town Cup betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au that feature just four single-figure chances.
Last time out the colt improved on an unplaced Golden Slipper Stakes run in the mud at Rosehill from late March to defeat a field of fellow two-year-olds at Doomben on May 11 in the Group 2 Champagne Classic (1200m).
Connections have now opted for an acid test on the weekend against the older horses at WFA as opposed to backing Dubious up in the Group 2 $400,000 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) against his own age on Kingsford Smith Cup Day.
It looks to be the first time in Queensland racing history that a two-year-old will race in the event formerly run as the BTC Cup.
The big winner in the Kingsford Smith Cup barrier draw coming up trumps with the inside alley is Trekking, Kerrin McEvoy’s mount on Saturday firming into $6.50 favouritism.
One of three in the line-up for ace Sydney trainer James Cummings, the Street Cry four-year-old is well-supported in the Kingsford Smith Cup odds to make it three wins on the trot following the Godolphin gallopers two recent success at Randwick (Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes) and Scone (Listed Luskin Star).
Trekking is joined in this winter’s Kingsford Smith Cup field by stablemates Home Of The Brave ($8.50) who drew right out in gate 17 and Group 1 placed Lonhro colt Encryption ($14) due to jump from barrier four with Corey Brown aboard.
After a blowout win in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) last time out, the Tony Pike-trained Kiwi raider The Bostonian is back in Brisbane looking for more elite level success on the weekend.
A son of former star New Zealand galloper Jimmy Choux, The Bostonian was a roughie first-up down under in the Doomben 10,000 but impressed with a fast finishing run down the rails to defeat a better fancied field of rivals.
Jockey Michael Cahill retains the ride on Saturday in the Kingsford Smith Cup and rides the Doomben 10,000 winner from gate 11 with The Bostonian at a much shorter $7 second time around.
Another last start winner the bookies are taking no early chances with is $9.50 hope I Am Excited in gate nine, the David Pfieffer-trained Snitzel mare having won the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at the Eagle Farm track in late April.
She has been kept race fit with a subsequent Warwick Farm trial on May 17, which she on by one and a half lengths over the 804m.
See below for the full Kingsford-Smith Cup 2019 field and barrier draw before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for top odds on all the Eagle Farm races this weekend.
2019 Kingsford Smith Cup Final Field & Barriers
Eagle Farm Race 8 (3:35pm) – 25/05/2019
