Flying Light will head up the final field of thirteen for the 2017 $75,000 Red Beret Hotel Cairns Cup (2100m) at Cannon Park in Cairns on Saturday.

Mukkaddamah Son, above, is one of two runners for trainer Trevor Rowe in the 2017 Cairns Cup at Cannon Park. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Mukaddamah Son, above, is one of two runners for trainer Trevor Rowe in the 2017 Cairns Cup at Cannon Park. Photo by Daniel Costello.

The former Victorian trained five year old is a recent addition to the Townsville stables of Errol Sewell and has drawn barrier four with Rockhampton’s leading jockey Adrian Coome to ride.

Coome was aboard Flying Light for a last start third to Cairns Cup rival Chivadahlii in the $100,000 Mater Townsville Cup (2000m) at Cluden Park in Townsville on July 29 when prepared by Eagle Farm trainer Barry Baldiwn.

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 Brisbane to be trained by his long time associate Barry Baldwin.

The Exceed And Excel gelding was placed once from four starts for Baldwin before running third to Chivadahlii in the Townsville Cup.

Flying Light will carry 60kg top weight in the Cairns Cup and will meet Chivadahlii 2.5kg better at the weights after the Jamie McConachy trained six year old was allocated 57kg this Saturday after carrying 54.5kg to victory in the Townsville Cup.

Veteran New South Wales legend Robert Thompson takes over the reins on Chivadahlii from Townsville Cup winning jockey Bobby El-Issa and the Nothin’ Leica Dane gelding has drawn in close at barrier three.

Leading Cairns trainer Trevor Rowe will saddle up two runners in the Cairns Cup and is hoping for another home town victory after collecting the trophy with Chateau Dettori last year.

The Rowe trained Great Pretender has drawn one from the outside at barrier twelve with John Lambie to ride while Mukaddamah Son will jump from barrier nine for Shohei Kaya.

Great Pretender is stepping up in distance after winning over 1900m in a BenchMark 65 Handicap at Cannon Park last Saturday but Rowe is confident that the six year old will handle the 2100m.

“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.”

Final Field for the 2017 Cairns Cup (2100m)

# Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating
1 1106×35083 FLYING LIGHT Errol Sewell Adrian Coome 4 60kg 89
2 x732724211 CHIVADAHLII Jamie McConachy Robert Thompson 3 57kg 84
3 09×3764176 HOT SAGA Fred Wieland Graham Kliese 8 55.5kg 81.5
4 0x68x37237 RANKED (IRE) Alwyn Bailey 11 54kg 76
5 x743457248 MAJOR MAJOR Roy Chillemi Stephen Wilson 2 54kg 74.5
6 7×12225350 GO BY RIO (NZ) Errol Sewell 6 54kg 74
7 x009500x40 MUKADDAMAH SON Trevor Rowe Shohei Kaya 9 54kg 73
8 1536522241 GREAT PRETENDER Trevor Rowe John Lambie 12 54kg 67
9 3453613488 ALDREN Cherrie Lindgren Graham Watson 1 54kg 62
10 8254213001 KHADIJA Olivia Cairns Ms Chelsea Jokic 5 54kg 62
11 x660157995 RAMSDEN STREET Fred Wieland Ms Amanda Thomson (a) 13 54kg 60
12 81288×5526 THE LYNCHES John Petersen Justin P Stanley 10 54kg 58
13 x354232275 PINK STILETTO Gareth Horner Nor Yadi 7 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.