By Alex Nolan
The scene is set for next Thursday’s highly anticipated Group 1 Sky Racing Brisbane Cup final and if heat night was anything to go by, it will be worth the wait.
A strong local flavour mixed with a healthy dose of interstate raiders, made all the more interesting by the box draw, has set up a mouth-watering clash worth $525,000.
Black Magic Rose, Extra Malt, Impact, Just A Sort and Orchestrate make up the Queensland contingent hoping to keep the cash north of the Tweed.
They will take on Photo Man, Big Opal Rocks and Equalizer, who is under the care of hometown trainer Tony Brett, hoping to snare the $350,000 winners’ cheque.
Brett is in charge of the three fastest heat winners, headlined by Just A Sort and Orchestrate.
Last year’s Queensland Derby winner, Just A Sort, relished his inside draw to find the front and set up a big lead in the back straight.
Flying Amy Classic winner Photo Man charged in to second but went under by a length as Just A Sort stopped the clock in a slick 29.70 seconds.
Photo Man returns to the rails draw for the Final, while Just A Sort will start from a wide draw in seven.
Not to be outdone, Just A Sort’s kennel mate Orchestrate roared to an early lead from his middle draw and careered away to record the equal-fastest time of 29.70 seconds.
It has seen the son of Barcia Bale installed as the $3.50 favourite for the Final, where he’ll be suited by drawing box eight.
While Brett takes two of his own to the Final, he’ll also return with defending champion Equalizer – known as ‘Stan’ at home – who came from the clouds to win his heat in a tight photo finish from Black Magic Rose in 29.88 seconds.
Equalizer will start from box six, with Black Magic Rose drawing box two.
“People love him up here, he’ll be worth coming to see in the Final,” Brett said.
“With the injuries he’s had, to return 12 months later for another shot at the race he won last year is some effort.
“Full kudos to Jason and Seona Thompson to have him ready to do that. Obviously he’s happy at home and hopefully we can keep him that way.”
The Shane Ellis-trained Impact earned his shot at a highly sought-after Group 1 after he too relished the inside draw to record and impressive all-the-way win in 29.80 seconds.
The son of Fabregas has been highly touted right throughout his career and boasts a lethal record of 24 wins from 47 starts.
Big Opal Rocks entered his heat as one of the main fancies on the night.
While he got the job done, it wasn’t in the fashion both punters and his trainer Mario Briganti had hoped, as he clung on to win in 30.02 seconds.
Briganti held some injury concerns for the noted flying machine, who only turned two in mid-June.
“I’m a little bit concerned, even though he’s won … but we’ll check him over in the morning and if he’s not right, he won’t be running,” Briganti said.
The final heat winner came via star local chaser Extra Malt for Leanne and Graham Hall.
In somewhat bizarre scenes, the nominee for Queensland Greyhound of the Year lunged at the lids a split second before they opened and copped a nasty bump to the head.
Had she timed it a tad later, she probably would have led the field easily.
Instead, she was out the back as the field approached the winning post before a scrimmage up front allowed her to sneak along the fence and find the front.
She stopped the clock in 30.06 seconds and has come up with box four in the big one.
Group 1 Sky Racing Brisbane Cup
Albion Park 520 metres, Thursday July 7
1. PHOTO MAN (GAVIN CLIFTON)
2. BLACK MAGIC ROSE (FRED SWAIN)
3. BIG OPAL ROCKS (MARIO BRIGANTI)
4. EXTRA MALT (LEANNE HALL)
5. IMPACT (SHANE ELLIS)
6. EQUALIZER (JASON THOMPSON)
7. JUST A SORT (TONY BRETT)
8. ORCHESTRATE (TONY BRETT)
9R. EAGLE MONELLI (STEVE WITHERS)
10R. SHIPWRECK (NED SNOW)