Former Victorian galloper Flying Light has been given the top weight for the 2017 $75,000 Red Beret Hotel Cairns Cup (2100m) at Cannon Park in Cairns on Saturday.

Flying Light, above, is the top weight for the 2017 Cairns Cup. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Flying Light, above, is the top weight for the 2017 Cairns Cup. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Errol Sewell trained Flying Light has been allocated 60kg for the Cairns Cup, 3kg more than Townsville Cup winner Chivadahlii on 57kg.

Flying Light began his career under the Lindsay Park banner and found the winner’s stall on four occasions before being purchased by prominent Townsville race horse owner Tom Sheahan who sent him to Eagle Farm trainer Barry Baldwin.

The Exceed And Excel gelding was placed once from four starts for Baldwin before running third to Chivadahlii in the $100,000 Mater Townsville Cup (2000m) at Cluden Park in Townsville on July 29.

Following his Townsville Cup run, Flying Light was transferred to Errol Sewell’s Townsville stable.

Sewelll has also no0minated Go By Rio for the Cairns Cup and the consistent six year old finished an out of character twelfth last start to Chivadahalii in the Townsville Cup

The Jamie McConachy trained Chivadahlii is racing in great form and prior to winning the Townsville Cup ran second in the $75,000 Mackay Cup at (1800m) at Ooralea Race Course in Mackay on July 1 and  then won the $25,000 Townsville RSL Royal Rewards (2000m) at Cluden Park on July 15.

“He ran fourth in his first run for me and then he ran second in the Mackay Cup,” McConachy said.

“I told the owners to forget about running in the Rocky Cup as he was looking for ground and the Townsville Cup would be ideal for him.”

The Fred Wieland trained Hot Saga with 55.5kg is the only other Cairns Cup entrant over the minimum with the remaining eleven horses weighted on 54kg.

Leading local trainer Trevor Rowe will be looking for back to back Cairns Cup wins with Great Pretender after collecting the trophy last year with Chateau Dettori.

“He (Great Pretender) is Cairns’ horse of the year, he has won six races here in the last 12 months,” Rowe told the Cairns Post.

“I think he will run the 2100m no worries.”

Rowe has also nominated Mukaddamah Son for the Cairns Cup but the veteran stayer needs to improve on his last start fourteenth in the Townsville Cup to be competitive.

Weights for the 2017 Cairns Cup (2100m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight Hcp Rating
1 1106×35083 FLYING LIGHT G 5 Errol Sewell 1 60kg 89
2 x732724211 CHIVADAHLII G 6 Jamie McConachy 2 57kg 84
3 09×3764176 HOT SAGA G 7 Fred Wieland 3 55.5kg 81.5
4 0x68x37237 RANKED (IRE) G 9 Alwyn Bailey 4 54kg 76
5 x743457248 MAJOR MAJOR G 9 Roy Chillemi 5 54kg 74.5
6 7×12225350 GO BY RIO (NZ) G 6 Errol Sewell 6 54kg 74
7 x009500x40 MUKADDAMAH SON G 11 Trevor Rowe 7 54kg 73
8 1536522241 GREAT PRETENDER G 6 Trevor Rowe 8 54kg 67
9 4674442372 QUEEN GORGO M 6 Mark Webb 9 54kg 65
10 3453613488 ALDREN G 7 Cherrie Lindgren 10= 54kg 62
11 8254213001 KHADIJA M 7 Olivia Cairns 10= 54kg 62
12 x660157995 RAMSDEN STREET G 6 Fred Wieland 12 54kg 60
13 81288×5526 THE LYNCHES G 6 John Petersen 13 54kg 58
14 x354232275 PINK STILETTO M 6 Gareth Horner 14 54kg 44

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.