Cape Kidnappers draws wide in George Moore Stakes

Comeback sprinter Cape Kidnappers has drawn wide for his return to racing in the Group 3 $200,000 Channel Seven George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Cape Kidnappers has drawn wide in the George Moore Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Cape Kidnappers has drawn wide in the George Moore Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

The injury plagued seven year old came up with barrier ten in the twelve horse field with Damian Browne maintaining his association with Kelly Schweida trained gelding.

Browne rode Cape Kidnappers in three of his four runs during the Brisbane Winter Carnival for two wins and second.

The combination won the Listed $80,000 Sita Australia Chief De Beers Handicap (1110m) at Doomben and the Listed $100,000 Evergreen Turf Lightning Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm before running second to Big Money in the Group 3 $175,000 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on June 21.

Cape Kidnappers has spent a lot of time away from the race track because of leg problems and Schweida was thinking the worst again when Browne dismounted the gelding shortly after passing the post in the W.J. Healy Stakes and led him back to the saddling enclosure.

“We originally thought he had cracked his sesamoid again, but X-rays showed it was fine,” Schweida told The Courier-Mail.

“We gave him two months off before he came back and did four or five weeks on the treadmill.”

“Damian Browne has come down to ride him in two jumpouts and everything seems fine.”

The lightly raced Cape Kidnappers has an excellent first up record with four wins from six attempts but Schweida thinks he is setting him a tough task tackling the 1200m first up with 58kgs.

“It’s always hard to win first up at 1200m, but I’m looking forward to getting him back,” Schweida said.

Big Money with Robert Thompson on board is coming off a short Melbourne Spring Carnival campaign and has drawn nicely at barrier four.

The Rodney Northam trained five year old had mixed results from his two runs in Melbourne.

He finished a handy fourth to dead heaters Miracles Of Life and Bel Sprinter in the Group 2 $200,000 Perri Cutten Caulfield Sprint (1100m) at Caulfield on October 18 then was well beaten when twelve and a half lengths ninth to Deep Field in the Group 2 $300,000 tab.com.au Stakes (1200m) up the Flemington straight on November 1.

Topweight Adebisi is a three time winner over this course and distance and has drawn midfield at seven with Anthony Allen to ride again after the pair finished second to Rocky King over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast on November 14.

Rocky King has drawn to the outside of Adebisi at gate nine and will meet the Desleigh Forster trained speedster 1.5kgs worse in the George Moore Stakes for beating him by three quarters of a lengths at the Sunshine Coast.

Michael Cahill will take over on Rocky King from Teagan Harrison who will be on the Tony Gollan trained Rocket To Glory who has drawn the rails.

Gollan will also saddle up Someday with Tim Bell to ride from gate three.

Last start winner Time To Plunder has drawn close to the rails at two with Larry Cassidy retaining the ride after the pair combined to win the Listed $100,000 Brisclean Keith Noud Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on November 22.

The Robert Heathcote trained Excellantes will be having his second run back from a spell after finishing eighth to Time To Plunber but has a good second up record with three wins and two seconds from seven attempts.

But he will have to be at his best for Ryan Wiggins with 58kgs from the outside alley.

Heathcote will also be saddling up Riva De Lago for the first time with Jeff Lloyd to the ride the ex-Chris Waller trained gelding who drew barrier eight.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.