Malliff trains his eye on Cup
MAREEBA’S Alex Malliff has claimed a Mareeba Cup as an owner and believes Ramsden Street is the horse that can earn him a maiden Cup at the track as a trainer.
With the Cairns Cup and Cairns Amateurs carnivals finished, racing in North Queensland heads to the Mareeba Turf Club today for the Mareeba Annuals, consisting of the $10,000 Cup and the $8500 Mareeba Bracelet.
Bo Rossa, trained by Glen Baker, lifted the Mareeba Cup in 2016 and 2014 with Malliff, among a handful of others, very happy connections.
Former Victorian Ramsden Street will be Malliff’s hope today to make it three Cups, his first as a trainer, in the Benchmark 65 Handicap.
“I am looking forward to having a crack at it as a trainer this year,” Malliff said.
The seven-year-old is trained on track at Mareeba and Malliff expects that to be a huge advantage this afternoon over 2000m.
The gelding has been beaten by some handy horses of late, Arms Race, Binary and How Can I Help, and gets his chance to break through today.
“He has been a real work in progress, he was going real ordinary when we first got him,” Malliff said.
“We have done a lot of alternative training with him, show jumping, swimming and walker, stuff like that and he has started to come good. Two of his last three runs have been outstanding, his run at Townsville last start was enormous.
“He stormed home that time and back on the home track this time, that should make him a two lengths better horse.
“He should be right in the finish.”
Townsville hoop Jeffrey Felix rode Ramsden Street last start at Cluden Park, where he ran fourth over 2000m, and retains the ride this afternoon.
The Stephen Massingham-trained Jimmy Hoffa claimed second in the Mareeba Cup in 2017 and is back today and looks well placed after finishing second in his last two starts.
Jordan, trained by Stephen Potiris, won the 2017 Cup on Boxing Day last year.
Meanwhile, hoops Ryan Wiggins and Les Tilley both rode doubles at Rockhampton Jockey Club on Thursday afternoon.