Famous Seamus and Ryan Wiggins have claimed their maiden Group 1 victories with a surprise result in the BTC Cup last Saturday.
The Noel Mayfield-Smith-trained galloper had mixed his results throughout his autumn campaign to date however put it all together in Saturday’s Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben.
Famous Seamus was considered a rank outsider of the field with multiple Group 1 winner Buffering largely expected to be claiming his first top level success on home soil.
Sitting outside the lead Buffering was given every chance by jockey Damian Browne however couldn’t hold off a fast finishing Famous Seamus.
Spirit Of Boom came from last to run second with Buffering narrowly claiming third.
A four time winner at Listed level prior to last Saturday, the BTC Cup was clearly a career best victory for Famous Seamus.
This was reflected in the performance yielding Famous Seamus a new master Timeform rating of 120, three pounds clear of the gelding’s prior peak figure achieved twice last spring.
Such a rating has the win come in marginally above the previous five-year winning average of the event.
The feature race at Doomben last Saturday was also a career highlight for jockey Ryan Wiggins.
An eight time stakes winning jockey, it was Ryan Wiggins’ first top level success who looks well on track for a career best season.
The success of Famous Seamus was the jewel in the crown of a winning treble for Ryan Wiggins on BTC Cup day, also saluting aboard Magic In Motion and Pretty Pins.
Famous Seamus will pursue further Group 1 success over the Brisbane Winter Carnival in contests such as the Doomben 10,000 (1350m) and the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).
The five-year-old will take on a similar group of horses to what he beat in the BTC Cup including Buffering.
They will meet on identical terms to last Saturday in the Doomben 10,000 as well meaning the Queensland Winter Carnival could prove a happy hunting ground for the Hawkesbury-based runner if his BTC Cup display isn’t a one off performance.
In the past ten years, Apache Cat (2008) and Sea Siren (2012) have claimed the BTC Cup-Doomben 10,000 double.
Thorn Park after winning the 2004 BTC Cup claimed the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) two starts later following his fourth in the Doomben 10,000 taken out by Super Elegant.
