By Glenn Davis
Trainer Kelly Schweida has made a late call and will dispatch Outraged to central Queensland for Saturday’s Rockhampton Cup in preference to Doomben.
Outraged drew barrier eight in the Rockhampton Cup (1600m) and gate five in the Bottle-O Open Handicap (1640m) at Doomben.
Outraged will be ridden by Ric McMahon in the Rockhampton Cup while Michael Cahill had the booking at Doomben.
Outraged won the Townsville Cup two years ago but his recent form has been well below his standard.
The six-year-old has won 10 of his 60 starts and is coming off a last start seventh to the Team Snowden-trained Grande Rosso in the Listed Mumm Stakes at Doomben last month.
Although he was back with the tailenders most of the way, Outraged was only beaten just over four lengths.
In his previous start Outraged tailed the field in the Listed Spear Chief at the Sunshine Coast on June 2 which followed a first-up 11th, beaten less than three lengths, by I’m A Rippa in the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben.
Schweida won the Rockhampton Cup two years ago with Ruling Force and is hopeful Outraged can deliver a second Cup victory.
Schweida’s decision to bypass Doomben stems from steady rain which has fallen in Brisbane this week.
Doomben is currently rated a soft 5 while Callaghan Park has a similar rating but the central Queensland weather looks brighter.
“We haven’t had a lot of rain in Brisbane but I reckon it’ll be enough to be a soft 7 or heavy 8,” Schweida said.
“It’s a long way to go to Rocky but I’ll still have Stella Ombra and La Vida Loca at Doomben.”
Schweida had planned to send Stella Ombra to Rockhampton but preferred the Doomben option with the five-year-old after he finished eighth to Spright in the G3 Healy Stakes last start.
Schweida admits he knows little about new stable acquisition La Vida Loca who resumes in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1050m).
La Vida Loca started her career with Tony Gollan before transferring to Brett Cavanough who won a Maiden at Scone last November and a Class 2 at the same track with the daughter of Jet Spur at her last start in April.
“I don’t know a lot about her as she’s only been with me a few weeks,” Schweida said.
Racing Queensland webnews July 6