Trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith is banking on a dry track for Saturday’s Group 2 $200,000 National Fire Industry Association QLD Victory Stakes (1200m) at Doomben to help Famous Seamus find some winning form.
Famous Seamus needs a dry track to produce his best in the Victory Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Famous Seamus was at his best when he scored an upset win on a good 3 track in the Group 1 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben during the 2014 Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Then from eighteen starts since, the seven year old has only managed to find the winner’s stall on two occasions, saluting in the Group 2 $200,000 Bloodstock.com.au Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick during the 2014 Sydney Spring Carnival and in the Group 3 $150,000 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m) at Sandown at the end of the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
The Doomben track was rated a Good 4 on Wednesday afternoon and with some showers forecast for the remainder of the week, Mayfield-Smith will monitor the weather closely before confirming a start in the Victory Stakes for Famous Seamus.
“It all depends on the weather. If it’s no good he won’t go,” Mayfield-Smith told Racing Queensland News.
“But don’t worry about his form. Have a look at the tracks he’s been running on.
“As soon as he hits a shifting track he’s no good in the going.”
Mayfield-Smith is prepared to overlook Famous Seamus’ recent poor Autumn Carnival form and expects him to find his form of old if he gets the right track conditions.
“He’s the same as what he was when he was a four and five-year-old,” Mayfield-Smith said.
“His weight is terrific and he’s been working well.”
Famous Seamus has failed to fire at three runs this campaign and could only beat one runner home when a first up eleventh to Charlie Boy in the Group 3 $150,000 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) at Randwick on February 27.
At his next start Famous Seamus was well beaten again when eleventh to Griante in the Group 1 $700,000 Banjo Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on March 19 and that was followed by a thirteenth to Chautauqua in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on the first day of ‘The Championships’ on April 2 on a soft 6 track.
Brisbane jockey Ryan Wiggins finds himself back on board Famous Seamus after the pair combined to win the 2014 BTC Cup and he is certain to give him a good run from barrier five in the nine horse field.
In early markets at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Victory Stakes, Famous Seamus is listed as one of the outsiders of the field at $21 while Canberra sprinter Fell Swoop heads the betting at $1.70.
Victory Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.70 Fell Swoop, $6 Artlee, Knoydart, $7.50 Didntcostalot, $18 Fontelina, $21 Famous Seamus, $41 Pinch River, $51 Rock Royalty, Choice Bro.
