Group 1 Gold Cup Heats At Albion Park Thursday

Australia's best stayers will line up at Albion Park this Thursday night for their shot at One glory in the Cartwright Property Group Gold Cup (710m).

The three quality heats are sure to draw a crowd with top stayers Chinatown Lad, Mantra Lad, Forty Twenty, Lady Moscato, Queen Lauryn, Risk It, and Headley Bale among the starters all vying for a spot in the $74,000 final on June 4.

The Group One Cartwright Property Group Gold Cup boasts a rich $50,000 winner's cheque.

In Heat One (Race Four) Forty Twenty will be looking to back up after an extraordinary effort to win the Garrards Winter Chase Final after being checked three times and running from almost last to take the victory.

Jumping from a favourable box two tonight, the dog, owned by a St George Illawara Leagues club syndicate and trained by John Heard, should find his way to the front of the pack early.

Lady Moscato jumps from box seven in this race, and is no stranger to the Albion Park track, having started twice in Brisbane for one win and a second, including a smart best time of 42.18.

The Bob Wright-trained performer has placed in her last three starts against some of Australia's best in Mantra Lad and Vintage Octane.

In box four, has taken the trip of faith from down south with Risk It, who boasts a racing resume of 40 starts for 17 wins and 14 placings.

Regular Albion Park placegetter Bikini Beach will be an outside chance in this race, showing quick speed out of the boxes consistently, and will benefit from recent starts against Forty Twenty and Queen Lauryn.

In Heat Two (Race Five) champion stayer Chinatown Lad takes on the very fresh Queen Lauryn, who had only her first start over 710m last week.

Jumping from box three Chinatown Lad boasts an impressive record of 44 starts for 21 wins and 16 placings, and has also won two of three starts at the Brisbane Club.

Queen Lauryn, trained by Tony Brett, was originally setting up for the Sandown Cup but fell ill, and resumed racing last week to blitz the competition by nine lengths, including a near record first sectional.

In this race also is emerging stayer Others Quoted who has run impressively at Wentworth Park but is yet to start over the distance at Albion Park.

In Heat Three (Race Seven) Group One winner Mantra Lad, who won this years Sandown Cup, has drawn a very favourable box two.

The Graham Hose-trained dog is sure to come out firing in this race and will be hoping to repeat his Sandown Cup effort, which saw him win by a devastating 10 lengths.

The fast dog has raced in Brisbane before over the 520m, but makes his debut over the 710m in this race.

Headley Bale will line up in box seven in this race also, and will be looking to regain her winning streak that she had before placing last in the Sandown Cup.

Proven Albion Park performers will have some home turf advantage in this race with Killough Orchid in box eight, and in box three, who have both shown they have what it takes at the Creek.

A string of top fifth grade dogs will also grace the track this Thursday night, in the heats of the Mick Byrne Memorial 520m.

In Heat One (Race One), top dog will jump from box three to try and capture his first Albion Park win, but is sure to have tough competition from Kathy's Recall in box five, who drops back to her 520m comfort zone where she scored a 29.96 earlier in the year.

Heat Two (Race Two) will see Mal Dawson's Gnaraloo make a return to Brisbane, where she was running consistent times close to 30 seconds.

Jumping from box seven she will need to make a quick exit from the boxes with strong Brisbane dog Monarch's Merlot in box eight and from box two.

In Heat Three (Race Three), Ryan's A Rocket should head in as favourite alongside Tonto Tears, in what will be a thrilling match.

Ryan's A Rocket, trained by Ron Ball, knows how to win at Albion Park including a best time of 30.18 from last April.

Tonto Tears on the other hand, jumping from box eight, will be looking to make it six straight wins after showing strong times including 30.10 two starts ago.

In Heat Four, one of Tony Brett's star performers Bogie Bomber is sure to start favourite despite the awkward box five draw, with quick first sectionals an attribute of the – Bogie Leigh youngster.

    Andy Albion's Best Bets :
  • Race 4 Number 2 Forty Twenty
  • Race 5 Number 8 Queen Lauryn
  • Race 6 Number 5 Bogie Bomber
  • Race 7 Number 2 Mantra Lad
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