CAPE BRETON TAKES OUT THE QUEENSLAND CUP

By Matthew Grimson | Sunday, July 5, 2009

Eagle Farm, July 4.
Queensland Cup (Quality) - 3200m. Time: 3-27.74.
Track - Dead 4. Rail - True.
1 Cape Breton; 2 Petushki; 3 Kerdem.

The Danny Williams trained Cape Breton stepped up to the 3200m for the first time and he made light work of the challenge to come away with a resounding success in the Queensland Cup at Eagle farm on Saturday.

The six-year-old, who was superbly handled by apprentice jockey Daniel Ganderton, finished fourth behind Reggie in the Coloundra Cup the week before and had contested the Tatts Cup and the Ipswich Cup in the two weeks prior to that.

The fact Cape Breton was racing for the fourth consecutive Saturday certainly didn’t trouble him as he relished to opportunity to put a score on the board which he did in emphatic fashion.

"The winning margin might only have been one length but such was Cape Breton’s authority in the closing stages that Ganderton was able to sit up in the saddle and enjoy the ride as he coasted to victory after doing all of the hard work mid-straight.

This was Cape Breton’s sixth career victory and the result took his stake earnings past the $400 000 mark.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Danny Williams: “The speed of the race today was most probably going to make a horse like him get two-mile pretty easily. He’s had a few soft runs and he hasn’t had a lot of luck in his races. I think that he was a little bit soft at Caloundra (in his last start) and may have just knocked up and needed a run. He’s come through that particularly well.

“He definitely does like the softer ground. We were a little bit concerned about the firmer conditions today because he is certainly a heavy track horse ... but he can also stay. Daniel (Ganderton) was a late engagement. We tried a few jockeys. We asked Michael Cahill. He didn’t take the ride. We tried Glen Colless. He couldn’t make the weight. Then we tried Brad Stewart and he couldn’t make the weight.

"We were lucky enough to get Daniel and nobody could have ridden the horse better. It was a sensational ride by Daniel. He bided his time and showed a lot of maturity. It was a sensational staying sort of a ride.

It’s a big jump to be talking about the Cup, but you just don’t know. Certainly if he’s able to run we’ll run him in the Melbourne Cup. Whether he is competitive or not, just to have a runner in the Melbourne Cup ... it is everyone’s dream.”

“As far as what we’ll do next we’ll just see how he pulls up. We’ll put him in the yard for a few days and let him unwind and then we’ll have a look. I never look too far beyond each race. There are always races in my mind, but I don’t like to talk too quickly until I assess the horse afterwards.”

Jockey Daniel Ganderton: “I thought on paper I had some very good rides today, you know, obviously being on Battlefield and I thought this ones run the other day at the Sunshine Coast was very good. He sort of got bogged down in the worst part of the track. Yeah, I thought I had some good rides coming in and you just need a bit of luck to fall your way.

“I think the furthest I’ve ever ridden was 2600m so it was a new test, but it was good to get the win. He got the perfect run from the one alley and he travelled like the winner a long way out. I thought I was going to win at the 800m already. He really travelled like a winner. He was untried at the distance though. That was the only query, so in the back of your mind you just want to hold onto him that little bit extra, which I was able to do. We got a nice cart into the race and he really went on with it. To his credit he really let down good. I’ve been fortunate enough to have ridden a treble on a few occasions but it’s a great thrill to come to Brisbane and have a bit of success and take out two of the features."

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Cape Breton): 6.00 out to 7.00.
Favourite (Phaze Action): 3.20 out to 3.30 in to 3.20.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Angina raced wide until reaching the winning post on the first occasion. Trainer J. Wheeler's stable representative was advised that I’m Isaac, which bled, will incur a mandatory three-month ban from racing under AR. 53A(4). A post-race veterinary examination of Phaze Action failed to reveal any abnormalities. The veterinary surgeon reported that Alexander Of Hales pulled up distressed. The veterinary surgeon reported that Angina had been galloped on on the near-hind leg. Following the running of this race the Club's doctor stood apprentice D. Ganderton down from his remaining ride at today's meeting.