Star Brisbane sprinter Cape Kidnappers is back in town and ready to claim the biggest prize of his career.
Kelly Schweida’s lightly raced six-year-old lines up in the Group 3 George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben and is clearly the horse to beat carrying just 54kg.
He’s chasing an eighth win from his 11th career starts after being beaten a head by Heart Testa three weeks back down in Sydney.
That followed a strong resuming win here back in October where he was blocked for a run in the straight before powering into the clear and exploding to an easy win.
I’m expecting Cape Kidnappers to go to a new peak today, back in his home town at a track he’s won at three times from four starts.
Jockey Rick McMahon, unbeaten on the horse in two starts, should find a perfect spot in running just off the pace from barrier seven, and he only needs clear running in the straight to put this one away.
There’s much more depth to this race than what he’s been up against in the past with Famous Seamus, back from a trip to Melbourne, topping the field with 60kg.
He won the Listed Lightning Handicap at Randwick in October then ran a solid third in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan at Caulfield three weeks back beaten 2.5L by Lankan Rupee.
Giving Cape Kidnappers 6kg from barrier 18 looks a monumental task, but he’s fit and in form, and has strong claims nonetheless on class.
The second-up Benny’s Buttons should also be prominent after almost upstaging Better Than Ready, arguably Brisbane’s second-best sprinter behind Buffering, in the Keith Noud two weeks back at Eagle Farm.
He’ll be forward throughout and should take plenty of running down but I reckon Cape Kidnappers is up to it.
You’ll get an excellent run for you money at $3.
The best thing about Doomben this week is there are a few shorties worth taking on, so there’s plenty of value to be had.
The first of these is Stroak in the two-year-old race to open the card, and $2.20 is a horrible price.
She won nicely on debut at this track eight weeks back but it was one of the weaker juvenile races we’ve seen up here so far this season.
Groomed For Glory meanwhile debuted last weekend on a bog track here and produced a higher rating performance despite finishing 1.1L back in fourth.
He’s currently a $6 hope, and carries 2kg less than Stroak with the apprentice on board.
With a couple of debutants lining up, and the likes of Miss Bella Rosa and Give Me Time having their second starts after solid debuts, I couldn’t possibly be backing Stroak at that price.
Fast forward to race six, a Benchmark 85 Handicap over 1350m, and we can confidently oppose The White Hope, who opened up as a ridiculous $2.10 shot with some corporates earlier this week.
Resuming from a hoof injury two weeks back, he could only manage second behind Love Rocks beaten 3.5L.
He was well below his best on that occasion and should improve today, but he isn’t going to find this race any easier.
Meeting him on level terms is Congo, who has been freshened up for this off back-to-back Eagle Farm wins over 1400m.
He led all the way on both occasions carrying more weight than the 55.5kg he’s copped today, and is very hard to get past once he finds the front.
He’s proven to be a better horse than the White Hope, and at the $5, that’s where your money should be.
BANKER: Race 7 No 14 Cape Kidnappers @ $3
BET OF THE DAY: Race 6 No 6 Congo @ $5
LAY OF THE DAY: Race 1 No 3 Stroak @ $2.20
