Proven two miler Yogi has been lumped with 60kg top weight for Saturday’s Listed $200,000 Triple M’s Big Breakfast Queensland Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm.

Yogi, above, will carry the top weight in the 2019 Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Yogi, above, will carry the top weight in the 2019 Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Yogi carried 57kg to win the Listed $150,000 Ladbrokes Sandown Cup over 3200m at Sandown at the end of the 2018 Melbourne Spring Carnival when prepared by disgraced trainer Darren Weir before being transferred to the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable.

The six year old was quickly back in the winner’s stall with a first up win for his new stable in the $125,000 The Big Screen Company Handicap over 1800m at Caulfield on February 9.

Yogi has had a further four starts for Maher and Eustace and include an eighth behind Harlem in the Group 1 $1.5m Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 9 and a last start second to Destiny’s Kiss in the Listed $150,000 Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on June 15.

Maher and Eustace also have last start Rosehill winner Azuro among the Queensland Cup nominations and the five year old has been allocated the 54kg minimum.

Azuro is also a proven two mile winner, coming off a last win in the 3200m $125,000 Stayer’s Cup at Rosehill on June 29.

Maher and Eustace have a large Victorian set up with stables at Caulfield, Pakenham, Ballarat and Balnaring while Annabel Neasham runs their Sydney base at Warwick Farm where Azuro and Yogi are now spending some time and will head to Brisbane later in the week.

“Azuro was very strong at the end of the 3200 metres in the Stayer’s Cup and Yogi won at the distance in the Sandown Cup where Azuro was second,” Neasham told AAP.

“It is hard to get a line on who will run in Brisbane but our horses have the staying form on the board.

“They don’t get many chances to run over 3200 metres and we have to take them when they come.”

The Chris Waller trained Exoteric has been given the second top weight at 56.5kg while the Kiwi stayer Sampson and the European import Saunter Boy with 55kg are the only other entries not on the 54kg minimum.

Weights for the 2019 Queensland Cup (3200m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight True Weight Hcp Rating
1 071x1850x2 YOGI (NZ) G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 1 60kg 60kg 104
2 4412470275 SAMPSON (NZ) G 9 Howard Mathews 2= 55kg 55kg 94
3 811953×455 SAUNTER BOY (FR) G 6 Kris Lees 2= 55kg 55kg 94
4 132×883061 AZURO (FR) G 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 4= 54kg 51.5kg 87
5 267×856582 DOUKHAN (IRE) G 10 Kris Lees 4= 54kg 51.5kg 87
6 71×4095036 MAZAZ (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller 6 54kg 50.5kg 85
7 563258×124 SOCIAL ELEMENT (NZ) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 7 54kg 49kg 82
8 032×121253 TRAVISTEE (NZ) M 5 Paul Jenkins 8 54kg 46.5kg 81
9 8474746112 OUR MANTRA G 4 Anderson Heathcote Racing 9 54kg 46.5kg 77
10 353×419109 I’LL MISS YOU M 7 Julie Pratten 10 54kg 44kg 76
11 50×7005334 HANG G 4 Michael Nolan 11 54kg 45kg 74
12 2206951201 HIGH WIND G 6 Tony Gollan 12 54kg 43.5kg 71
13 5170467261 HUSSON’S PRIDE G 4 Kelly Doughty 13 54kg 39kg 62
14 3710×92634 POLLINATOR (NZ) M 4 Tony Gollan 14 54kg 36kg 60
15 512×706048 EXOTERIC (GB) G 6 Chris Waller 15 56.5kg 56.5kg 97

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.