Eagle Farm trainer Kelly Schweida considers his slick sprinter Cape Kidnappers to be well over the odds for the Group 1 $500,000 UBET BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Trainer Kelly Schweida considers Cape Kidnappers to be well over the odds for the BTC Cup at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.
In early betting for the BTC Cup with Ladbrokes.com.au Cape Kidnappers is rated one of the outsiders of the field at $41 while Our Boy Malachi continues to firm and is now a clear $3 favourite after $4 was bet at acceptance time on Wednesday.
Schweida claims there is not that much between Cape Kidnappers and Our Boy Malachi and the last time they meet they finished just over a length apart.
Our Boy Malachi only suffered his second defeat from his first thirteen start when fifth to Pure Purrfection in the Listed $80,000 Yellowglen Bribie Handicap (1110m) at Doomben in May 2014 with Cape Kidnappers finishing in seventh spot.
While Our Boy Malachi has gone on to win his next six starts, including four in Sydney for Team Hawkes, Schweida says that Cape Kidnappers form since the Bribie Handicap has been good.
“Really there hasn’t been much between them all along the way. I know Our Boy Malachi has gone on to win four races in Sydney,” Schweida told AAP.
“But don’t forget my bloke went on from the Doomben defeat to win the Lightning Handicap and finished second in the Healy Stakes.”
“Cape Kidnappers had no luck in the summer and his first-up second was good in fast time.”
Cape Kidnappers has had one run back from a spell for a second to Rocket To Glory in the Listed $100,000 Adagold Aviation Chief De Beers Handicap (1110m) at Doomben on April 11 but then Schweida scratched the seven year old from the Group 2 $200,000 SMEG Victory Stakes (1200m) at the Gold Coast on Anzac Day after he drew the outside barrier.
“I think we pulled the right rein by not running him at the Gold Coast from a wide barrier in the Victory Stakes,” Schweida said.
Our Boy Malachi started his career under the care of Gympie trainer Peter Fleming before being transferred to Rockhampton trainer John O’Sing who prepared him for twelve of his seventeen wins before he was sent to the Hawkes Racing Team at Rosehill.
The ‘Rockhampton Rocket’ has only raced once in Group company for a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Ticketek Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 18.
While Cape Kidnappers has raced twice at Group 3 level for a second in the $175,000 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm during the Winter last year and a third in the $200,000 Channel Seven George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben over the Summer behind BTC Cup rival Big Money on both occasions.
BTC Cup market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3 Our Boy Malachi, $5.50 Srikandi, $8.50 Trust In A Gust, $9 Scissor Kick, $11 Sacred Star, Bring Me The Maid, $15 El Roca, $17 Knoydart, $26 Temple Of Boom, Fontelina, $31 Hot Snitzel, Time For War, Nostradamus, $34 Big Money, $41 Cape Kidnappers, $51 Villa Verde.
