Cape Kidnappers to overcome wide gate in Lough Neagh Stakes

Trainer Kelly Schweida is hoping that Cape Kidnappers’ good second up form is enough to help the seven year old overcome a wide gate in the Listed $175,000 Garrards Lough Neagh Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Cape Kidnappers will take his good second up record into the Lough Neagh Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Cape Kidnappers will take his good second up record into the Lough Neagh Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Cape Kidnappers drew the outside of the twelve horse field and this came on top of him jumping from gate ten when third first up to Big Money in Group 3 $200,000 Channel Seven George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben a fortnight ago.

The injury plagued Cape Kidnappers is describes by Schweida as a sluggish trackworker who improves fitness wise from run to run which in indicated by his second up record that reads three wins and two seconds from five attempts.

“He gets nothing out of trackwork, so racing is the only way I can get him really fit,” Schweida told The Courier-Mail.

“He never does anything on the track, so I can’t get a guide on that, but he seems sound and that’s the main thing.”

“The 1350m is not ideal second up, but the trouble with him is that we don’t get many runs out of him in a preparation. I only plan for about three or four each time.”

And while the Eagle Farm trainer would have preferred to have drawn closer to the rails, he said that the 1350m start at Doomben has a good run to the first corner and Damian Browne will have plenty of time to work Cape Kidnappers over into a spot just behind the pace.

“I’d sooner have one than 12,” Schweida said.

“Fortunately it’s a pretty good start and there doesn’t look a lot of pressure, so I would say he won’t be too far away.”

Cape Kidnappers will meet Big Money on 2kg better terms in the Lough Neagh Stakes after being beaten by one and three quarter lengths in the George Moore Stakes with both sprinters stepping up to the 1350m for the first time.

The pair also clashed twice during the 2014 Brisbane Winter Carnival with Cape Kidnappers taking the honours in the Listed $100,000 Evergreen Turf Lightning Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm on June 7 before Big Money reversed the placings in the Group 3 $175,000 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm two weeks later.

The Rodney Northam trained Big Money heads the market order for the Lough Neagh Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au at $3.50 just ahead of Whiskey Allround who is challenging for favouritism at $3.60.

Cape Kidnappers at $7 shares the next line of betting with Someday who split Big Money and Cape Kidnappers when second in the George Moore Stakes.

The Tony Gollan trained Whiskey Allround is also stepping up to the 1350m for the first after working his way up through the classes with wins at his last four starts.

At his most recent run Whiskey Allround ran quicker time than Big Money with the same weight when he won a Class 6 Plate over the same course and distance on the same day.

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.