Albion
Park’s President’s Cup is commonly
referred to as the ‘’traditional leadup’’ for the National Distance
Championship.
The
710 metres Cup is race nine tonight. Heats of the Nationals will be run at Albion
Park next Thursday.
The
tag of ‘’traditional leadup’’ is quite fitting. The past four winners of the
President’s Cup have gone on to represent Queensland
in the National Distance Championship grand final.
In
2008, it was Bob Giltinan’s Nicely Done, who finished sixth to Mantra Lad in
the grand final at Sydney’s Wentworth
Park.
In
2009, Seminole for the late Mick Thrupp won the President’s Cup and the state
final of the National Distance before running fourth to Jarvis Bale in the
grand final in Perth.
In
2010, Dashing Corsair completed the Albion
Park double en route to running
fourth to Blue Lorian in the grand final in Adelaide.
Last
year, Dashing Corsair was at it again, but a little differently. He won the
President’s Cup, then was surprisingly beaten by Abby Shiraz in the state final
of the National Distance. But because Queensland
was the host state, both Abby Shiraz and Dashing Corsair lined up in the grand
final, with Dashing Corsair scoring a memorable win that was to be his swansong
race.
Tonight, a field
of six contests the $8,000 President’s Cup, strangely being staged as race nine
on the ten event programme.
Rachel Scott’s
Mocka Shocker (pictured) will be the favourite. Twice a winner from four
attempts at 710 metres, the son of Give Me Five has been unplaced at his past
three starts over 520 metres. There has been a lack of 710 metres events at Albion
Park in recent weeks, due to the
light numbers of stayers in work.
Fashion Flyer
and Lady Tycoon are the other 710 metres winners in tonight’s field.
In form young
trainer Darren Titmarsh believes his bitch Finn’s Express, although yet to win
over 710 metres, is a genuine ‘’knock out’’ chance in tonight’s Cup.
‘’I’m not saying
she is as good as Mocka Shocker. But while I haven’t been able to get any 710
metres starts with my bitch, Rachel is in the same boat with Mocka Shocker.
Looking positively at the situation, that just might bring us a bit closer,’’
Titmarsh offered.
Finn’s Express
was a strong finishing third in a 520 metres fifth grade at Albion
Park on Monday night to Rylee’s
Reign.
‘’She’s done
well since. She’s a hard chaser, that’s for sure. I’m happy to step her up in
distance tonight. Some of her recent 520 metres starts have been in the wet and
have probably felt more like staying races to her anyway,’’ Titmarsh said.
At Dapto tonight,
Glen Gallon, the nominal favourite to represent Queensland in the National
Sprint Championship final, is favourably drawn in box two in the $40,000 to the
winner Megastars Stake over 508 metres.
‘’Dapto is a
tight turning track and while he won’t lead, from that draw, he’s a chance of
sitting on the leaders and running them down,’’ trainer Tony Brett said.
The likely
favourite is the Jason Thompson trained El Brooklyn which is drawn box one.
Glen Gallon and
El Brooklyn are the only non New South Wales
trained runners in the field of eight and have had amazing luck with drawing
the two inside boxes.
Story by Paul
Dolan, photo by Corey Pearce.
