Ayden’s Warrior in peak condition for Queensland Cup

By Josh Spasaro

Top New South Wales owner and trainer Andy Lord believes Ayden’s Warrior is in the best care under master Sunshine State conditioner Tony Brett going into the Group 1 Queensland Cup at Q2 Parklands this Saturday night.

And, it also helps that the four-year-old black dog carries outstanding form into the staying feature over 710 metres. 

The race is worth $262,500.

The Sandown Cup champion produced a gutsy heat win, edging out Zig Zag Man at the post and saluting in 41.38 seconds.

Lord operates out of his state-of-the-art facility at Gunning in New South Wales.

He sends his dogs to Brett when they contest Group races in Queensland and to Jason Thompson for elite features in Victoria.

“It’s a good plan that we’ve got with Tony and Jason,” he said. 

“Obviously, we’re involved in all those dogs like Secret Bandit, He’s A Pearl and Consigliere. I broke them all in, so I know what ability they’ve got.

“I’ve tried travelling to Queensland and I’ve always gone good in the heats and stuffed up in the Finals because it’s just too much travelling.

“The way they do it – you can send them up two or three weeks beforehand, where they can settle in and have a trial.

“They do really well. 

"I’m happy with the results I’m getting.”

Lord added Ayden’s Warrior should improve on his heat win for the Final on Saturday night, where he will jump from the three box.

That was the same lane he drew for his heat victory.

And, in a Queensland Cup Final featuring top stayers Magpie Hector, Without A Trace and Miss Envy, Lord is confident regarding the chances of Ayden’s Warrior.

“This week he’ll go up there with a change of kennel, have a trial and race,” he said.

“He should be a better dog this week. I don’t think he can improve much on the clock, but I don’t think he needs to, if he can find a spot early.

“As long as he’s not chasing the six (Magpie Hector), I think he can win or run second.

“I rate him a good chance in any race, it doesn’t matter where he is. 

"He’s that type of dog. If you have a look at his form he’s barely out of a place. He’s named right, that dog.”

Ayden’s Warrior was a dominant three-and-a-quarter length winner of the Group 1 Sandown Cup over 715 metres on May 22, crossing the line in 41.59 seconds.

It was a performance that made every long-distance trainer around Australia take note of. 

“If the other seven dogs were worried about one dog, it’d be him,” Lord said.

“That’s because he’s always going to be there and he’s just such a consistent dog.

"Dogs don’t need to break track records in Finals – they just need to turn up and chase.”

Magpie Hector is the $3.50 Queensland Cup favourite, with Ayden’s Warrior second in the line of betting at $4.40.

But, under the expert guidance of Brett, Lord believes Ayden’s Warrior is the one to beat.

“Even if I had Magpie Hector, I’d be worried about Ayden’s Warrior because he’s the dog who turns up every week and puts in his best,” he said.

Lord also has Consigliere and Secret Bandit lining up from boxes four and five in the Group 1 Brisbane Cup Final over 520 metres at Q2 Parklands on Saturday night.