Brisbane Cup favourite Real Love has to overcome an awkward barrier draw if she is to record a hat trick of wins at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Real Love, above, has drawn awkwardly in the Brisbane Cup at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Real Love has been undefeated at her two Brisbane Winter Carnival race starts with a win in the Group 3 $125,000 JRA Cup (2000m) at Doomben on May 14 followed by a win in the Group 3 $125,000 Channel Seven Premier’s Cup (2200m) at Doomben a fortnight later.
Leading Victorian jockey Brad Rawiller has been aboard Real Love at her last two starts and is confident that she will be hard to beat again even though she drew barrier ten out of twelve in the Group 2 $300,000 Evergreen Turf Brisbane Cup (2400m).
“Real Love. She has drawn a bit awkward, ten out of twelve,” Rawiller told Sky Racing.
“But she is just a happy horse and enjoying her racing so I know she is going to be a chance.”
The former West Australian trained and 2015 Perth Cup winner hasn’t missed a place from seven starts since being transferred to Melbourne’s premiership winning trainer Darren Weir in January.
As well as winning her last two starts in Brisbane and filling the minor placings on four occasions for Weir, Real Love was also able to win the Listed $120,000 3AW Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) at Flemington on March 5.
Bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au have Real Love marked as the $4 favourite for the Brisbane Cup ahead of the top weight Ecuador at $5.50 and David Vandyke’s stayer Sir John Hawkwood at $6.
Weir will also saddled up $10 chance Puccini in the Brisbane Cup with in-form jockey Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.
The Gai Waterhouse trained Ecuador is also chasing a hat trick of wins after all the way victories in the Listed $100,000 Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on May 7 and in the Listed $100,000 Fujitsu Air Conditioning McKell Cup (2400m) at Randwick on May 28.
The front running Ecuador has drawn the outside barrier in the twelve horse field with Adam Hyeronimus to take the ride again while Blake Spriggs will stick with Sir John Hawkwood who will get the run of the race from barrier two.
Sir John Hawkwood has been racing consistently since November last year with four placings and two wins from six starts, including a win over the Brisbane Cup distance of 2400m in the Listed $100,000 Christmas Cup at Randwick on December 12.
The seven year old stayer showed at his last start that he is on track to step back up to the 2400m with an eye catching second to Real Love in the JRA Cup.
Market order for the Brisbane Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4 Real Love, $5.50 Ecuador, $6 Sir John Hawkwood, $8.50 Benzini, $10 Puccini, Iggi Pop, $11 Junoob, $12 Rudy, Astronomus, $18 Indexed Link, $26 Col ‘N’ Lil, $67 Jetset Lad.
