Brad eager to smash losing streak at Mackay

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Tim Cook is hopeful Brad can end a nine-month losing streak when the pair head to Mackay on Tuesday.

Brad has gone winless in his past 11 starts since a Mackay victory in December last year.

The eight-year-old will be ridden by heavy weight jockey Ashley Butler in the Open Handicap over 1300 metres and is coming off a last start sixth behind the John Manzelmann-trained Golden Athena in a 1200 metre Open event at Mackay on September 5.

A son of Medaglia D'oro, Brad was only beaten two lengths after turning for home in last place in the field of nine at his last start. 

Cook gave Brad his chance in the Cleveland Bay Handicap in Townsville last month where he finished 10th, just over five lengths behind winner, Isis Carmella. 

“He’s been racing well but hasn’t had much luck lately,” Cook said.

“I took him north for the Cleveland Bay and it was a good run but he was a bit slow away and you can’t afford to do that in race likes the Cleveland Bay when the speed is on all the way.

“He’s been striking a few hard tracks lately which he doesn’t like but his last run was super when he had to go back to last from a wide draw.

“It was a five-day turnaround from his previous start and he didn’t back-up.”

Cook has been training for 24 years and mixes the job with his full-time occupation as a farrier.

Cook will make a late call whether stable mate Schappose takes his place in the Mackay race alongside Brad. 

Schappose - a nine-year-old galloper - could instead head to Twin Hills on Friday as Cook attempts to qualify him for the Country Cups Challenge Final at Doomben in December.

“If he runs at Mackay he’ll race well but I may have to take him to Twin Hills as I’m trying to qualifying him for the Country Cups Challenge Final in Brisbane,” Cook said.

Schappose was successful at Mackay in early May but has been mixing his form since with one placing from his past three starts.

The son of High Chaparral led into the straight before he compounded to tail a field of eight over 1560 metres at Mackay last start.

Cook rates the Manzelmann-trained Invincible Jet as the main threat to his pair.

“Invincible Jet is a moral at the weights being only a half-a-kilogram above the minimum,” Cook said.

Invincible Jet has hit a purple patch of form winning two of his past three starts including a last-start triumph in a 1250 metre Benchmark race at Cairns on September 8.