Eagle Farm Cup scratching Index Linked is among the twenty nominations for the Group 2 $300,000 Evergreen Turf Brisbane Cup (2200m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Caloundra Cup winner Index Linked is among the nominations for the Brisbane Cup at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Index Linked was one of five runners trainer Chris Waller had planned to run in the Group 2 $250,000 Pages Event Equipment Hire Eagle Farm Cup (2200m) at Doomben last Saturday but the seven year old was a race morning withdrawal.
Waller was happy to send his other four, Moriarty, Foreteller, Hawkspur and I’m Imposing, around in the weight for age race but preferred to keep Index Linked to handicapped conditions of the Brisbane Cup.
“That was always the plan,’ Waller Racing HQ.
“Rather than them all going against each other, he can wait for the Brisbane Cup.”
Index Linked has held his form well over a long campaign and has only been out of the place twice from seven starts since winning over 1800m in a BenchMark 96 at Caulfield on February 14.
The French Import then went on to win his next two starts, the Listed $120,000 Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m) at Caulfield on February 28 and then made it a hat trick with a win $100,000 Yarra Valley Cup (1950m) at Yarra Valley on March 15.
Index Linked then had two unplaced runs in the Listed $350,000 Mornington Cup (2400m) at Mornington and in the Group 3 $150,000 Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m) at Randwick before Waller sent him north for a Queensland Winter Carnival campaign.
The seven year old’s two runs in Queensland have been good with a second to Epingle in the Group 3 $125,000 Goldcoastwebsites.com.au Chairman’s Handicap (2200m) at Gold Coast on April 25 followed by a win over Escado in the Listed $175,000 Linked Group Plumbing Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast on May 16.
Waller has also nominated Eagle Farm Cup runner up Moriarty and the out of form Vilanova.
The Mike Kent trained Epingle filled third spot in the Eagle Farm Cup and is also among the entries for the Brisbane Cup.
Melbourne mare Let’s Make A Deal is coming off a win in the Listed $100,000 Mittys Centaurea Stakes (2000m) at Morphettville on May 16 and the Brisbane Cup looks a very suitable race for the Red Ransom five year old.
Queanbeyan trainer Joe Cleary has nominated Landlocked who tasted defeat for the first time in five starts when second in an Open Handicap over 1800m at the Gold Coast last Saturday.
