Bowman pins Cup hopes on Marmelo
THE Bulls have stuck solid with the team that fought out a courageous draw against South Australia as they look to register their first win in the Sheffield Shield this season.
Queensland will return to AB Field Saturday for the first time since last summer’s epic victory in the Sheffield Shield final to face Western Australia, a win critical to the Bulls defending their 2017- 18 title.
The match will also be an opportunity for axed Test opener Matt Renshaw to get his baggy green revival up and running after he failed against the Redbacks.
Renshaw was dismissed for three and a duck in Adelaide, his first match since being overlooked for Test selection against Pakistan last month.
Batsman Sam Heazlett, who compiled a battling century against South Australia, has been named to back up for the Bulls after featuring for the PM’s XI against South Africa yesterday in Canberra.
Captain Usman Khawaja remains sidelined as he recovers from a knee injury sustained while in the UAE.
The Bulls are sitting last on the Sheffield Shield ladder after two rounds with one loss and one draw.
Queensland Bulls: Jimmy Peirson ( c), Joe Burns, Brendan Doggett, Luke Feldman, Sam Heazlett, Charlie Hemphrey, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth. HUGH Bowman has shifted focus from the heights of Winx’s Cox Plate triumph to declaring Marmelo a “realistic chance” of delivering a childhood dream in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.
Upbeat after last year’s joint Cup favourite completed a resounding 1600m gallop at Werribee, Bowman believes Marmelo is right in the mix.
“He’s a bit stronger this year, there’s no doubt about that,” Bowman said.
“I felt he had a nice bit in hand. He’s going well, ticking over nicely.”
“Obviously, it would be a childhood dream to win the Melbourne Cup. I feel I’m going in with a horse that’s a realistic chance of doing that.
“However, it’s a very difficult race to win … it’s a very open race.”
Marmelo finished ninth in last season’s Cup after an eye- catching Caulfield Cup sixth.
Trainer Hughie Morrison has chosen to tackle the Cup this season without a lead- up run.
“I know Hughie is pretty happy with him,” Bowman said. “Hughie wasn’t so keen on running last year in the Caul- field Cup. But the decision was made to run him and he ran very well, which gave us a lot of confidence – including the public because he started favourite going into the Melbourne Cup.
“Obviously he didn’t run as well in the Melbourne Cup as he did in the Caulfield Cup. I guess, for me, I take comfort from knowing he’s run well here before and he’s travelled well.”
Still on a high after the Moonee Valley win on Saturday, Bowman is primed for a massive Derby Day with Hartnell, Osborne Bulls and Lean Mean Machine.