The widely travelled Craiglea Deken has been handicapped with the top weight of 61kg for the $75,000 Mackay Cup (1800m) at Ooralea Race Course in Mackay on Saturday.

Trainer Krystle Johnston, above, has nominated Craiglea Deken for the 2017 Mackay Cup. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Craiglea Deken is the winner of fourteen races from thirty-nine starts and has visited the winner’s circle from Townsville in North Queensland to Toowoomba in the South East corner of the state.

The Krystle Johnston trained four year old is chasing his seventh win on the trot following five consecutive victories in Townsville since April followed by a last start win at Mackay in the $25,000 H.L. Black Memorial over 1560m on June 15.

The nearest to Craiglea Deken in the Mackay Cup weights is the Tom Button trained Deconstructed who has been allocated 54.5kg and is coming off a last start fourth to Colour Charge in the $100,000 Rockhampton Cup (1600m) at Rockhampton’s Callaghan Park last Saturday.

Deconstructed’s best recent form was a second three starts back over 1600m at Rockhampton on May 13 and the last time he was in the winner’s circle was on February 1 when he took out a 1350m BenchMark 75 Handicap at Doomben.

The rest of the horses nominated for the Mackay Cup are all weighted on the 54kg minimum which includes Fastnet Flyer and Old Smokey who finished second and third to Craiglea Deken at Mackay on June 15.

The Tony McMahon trained Mamselle Corday (54kg) also has been racing consistently and has one win and four placings from her last six starts since March and is coming off a last start second in the $25,000 Tattersall’s Gold Cup (1600m) at Rockhampton on June 10.

Weights for the 2017 Mackay Cup (1800m)