Cylinder Beach draws ideally at 3 in Rough Habit Plate

Queensland Derby favourite Cylinder Beach has drawn ideally at barrier three in the Group 3 $125,000 Mitty’s Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Cylinder Beach, above maroon and gold colours, has drawn ideally at gate 3 for the Rough Habit Plate at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Cylinder Beach, above maroon and gold colours, has drawn ideally at gate 3 for the Rough Habit Plate at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Cylinder Beach was elevated to the top of the market order for the Group 1 $600,000 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11 after an impressive first up win in the Group 3 $125,000 ANTEC Gunsynd Classic (1630m) at Doomben on April 30.

Bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au have Cylinder Beach as the $8 top pick for the Queensland Derby in a wide open betting race and trainer Desleigh Forster agrees with them.

“They can bring whatever they like from down south, but they won’t beat Cylinder Beach in the Derby,” an excited Forster said after his Gunsynd Classic win.

“He’s a good horse. All jokes aside, he probably should have won a Group 1 race last winter.”

In-form jockey Michael Cahill, who has the mount again this week, rode a brilliant race in the Gunsynd Classic to get Cylinder Beach home by a nose over his stablemate Too Good To Refuse who is headed towards the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on the same day as the Queensland Derby.

Forster will also saddle up her other Queensland Derby hope I’m Belucci who drew out wide at twelve in the Rough Habit Plate with Jim Byrne to ride.

Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller has three runners in the Rough Habit Plate, Multifacets, Mackintosh and Trafalgar.

Blake Shinn rides Mackintosh who fared best of the Waller trio at the barrier draw, coming up with gate four in the fourteen horse field.

Mackintosh is a new addition to the Waller stable and the former New Zealand trained three year old was able to score first up for the stable in a 1500m BenchMark 77 Handicap at Hawkesbury on April 30.

“I didn’t know much about Mackintosh before Hawkesbury but he deserves his chance,” Waller said.

Multifacets came up with barrier eight with Glyn Schofield in the saddle and Trafalgar has drawn to his immediate outside at nine with Jason Collett to ride.

The John O’Shea trained Eschiele has drawn out at thirteen with Damian Browne booked to ride and the Medaglia D’Oro three year old is stepping up in class and distance after winning a 1600m BenchMark 67 Handicap at Warwick Farm on May 4.

Rough Habit Plate market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.80 Cylinder Beach, $4 Mckintosh, $5.50 Trafalgar, $8.50 Tap This, $11 Multifacets, $14 Eagle Way, Eschiele, $17 Brazen, $18 Shotacross The Bow, $21 Kuttamurra, $34 I’m Belucci, $51 Flying Labelle, $71 Skytrek, $91 Excellent Spirit.

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.