jack
31-05-2003, 18:33
By Glenn Davis
BRISBANE, May 31 AAP - Jockey Chris Munce is staring at his fourth Brisbane Cup after a slashing win by Victorian Maguire in the Group Two O'Shea Stakes (2400m) at Eagle Farm today.
Maguire (9-2) made amends for his Doomben Cup defeat last start, cruising home in the wet by 1-1/4 lengths from County Tyrone (10-1) with Grey Song (13-2) a further 2-1/4 lengths away third.
Cranbourne trainer John Collins felt Maguire should have won instead of running third to Bush Padre in the Doomben Cup (2200m) last week and feels a Brisbane Cup victory coming on.
"He's gone a lot better this campaign since we took the blinkers off and I should have taken them off 18 months ago," Collins said.
"I thought he was unlucky in the Doomben Cup when he got held up at a crucial stage.
"It was a great trial for the Brisbane Cup and he'll be more effective if it's wet but it won't matter if it's dry.
"He came here as a three-year-old a few years ago and ran three weeks in a row so I know he can cope with the racing."
Maguire drops five kilos to 53kg in the $500,000 Group One Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on Monday week.
Munce's win continued a big day for the former Brisbane jockey who won the Queensland Oaks earlier on Sydney filly Zagalia.
Munce won the Brisbane Cup on Grooming in 1992 and twice on Desert Chill in 1995 and 1997.
Meanwhile, connections of Gold Coast three-year-old Warrior Trader will consider paying a $44,000 late entry fee for next week's $1 million Stradbroke Hcp (1400m) at Eagle Farm after a narrow win in the Listed Sir Edwards Williams Hcp (1400m).
Warrior Trader (9-1) raced with the leaders most of the way before scoring a short neck win over Deuxieme (7-1) with Osca Warrior (20-1) a neck away third.
The winner of the Sir Edward Williams is exempt from a ballot or penalty for the Stradbroke.
Owner-trainer Maryann Thexton did not nominate Warrior Trader for the Stradbroke but will give serious consideration to paying the late entry fee.
"We can run in the Stradbroke now if we pay the late fee but obviously it's going to be a different story," Thexton said.
"If we happened to get more rain it will suit him and I'd really consider it."
The New Zealand-born Thexton settled on the Gold Coast last February and Warrior Trader was her 17th winner in that period.
"I worked for more than two years doing my apprenticeship with some New Zealand trainers before I moved to Hawkesbury and then the Gold Coast," Thexton said.
"This was my first stakes winner."
AAP TURF gmd/gm/
BRISBANE, May 31 AAP - Jockey Chris Munce is staring at his fourth Brisbane Cup after a slashing win by Victorian Maguire in the Group Two O'Shea Stakes (2400m) at Eagle Farm today.
Maguire (9-2) made amends for his Doomben Cup defeat last start, cruising home in the wet by 1-1/4 lengths from County Tyrone (10-1) with Grey Song (13-2) a further 2-1/4 lengths away third.
Cranbourne trainer John Collins felt Maguire should have won instead of running third to Bush Padre in the Doomben Cup (2200m) last week and feels a Brisbane Cup victory coming on.
"He's gone a lot better this campaign since we took the blinkers off and I should have taken them off 18 months ago," Collins said.
"I thought he was unlucky in the Doomben Cup when he got held up at a crucial stage.
"It was a great trial for the Brisbane Cup and he'll be more effective if it's wet but it won't matter if it's dry.
"He came here as a three-year-old a few years ago and ran three weeks in a row so I know he can cope with the racing."
Maguire drops five kilos to 53kg in the $500,000 Group One Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on Monday week.
Munce's win continued a big day for the former Brisbane jockey who won the Queensland Oaks earlier on Sydney filly Zagalia.
Munce won the Brisbane Cup on Grooming in 1992 and twice on Desert Chill in 1995 and 1997.
Meanwhile, connections of Gold Coast three-year-old Warrior Trader will consider paying a $44,000 late entry fee for next week's $1 million Stradbroke Hcp (1400m) at Eagle Farm after a narrow win in the Listed Sir Edwards Williams Hcp (1400m).
Warrior Trader (9-1) raced with the leaders most of the way before scoring a short neck win over Deuxieme (7-1) with Osca Warrior (20-1) a neck away third.
The winner of the Sir Edward Williams is exempt from a ballot or penalty for the Stradbroke.
Owner-trainer Maryann Thexton did not nominate Warrior Trader for the Stradbroke but will give serious consideration to paying the late entry fee.
"We can run in the Stradbroke now if we pay the late fee but obviously it's going to be a different story," Thexton said.
"If we happened to get more rain it will suit him and I'd really consider it."
The New Zealand-born Thexton settled on the Gold Coast last February and Warrior Trader was her 17th winner in that period.
"I worked for more than two years doing my apprenticeship with some New Zealand trainers before I moved to Hawkesbury and then the Gold Coast," Thexton said.
"This was my first stakes winner."
AAP TURF gmd/gm/