The Inflictor to bypass The Hunter for Keith Noud
By Glenn Davis
Hobby trainer Craig Cousins still drives a truck for a living but has decided to dodge a road trip with The Inflictor for the $1 million The Hunter at Newcastle on Saturday.
Instead, The Inflictor will stay at home to run in the Listed Keith Noud over 1200 metres at Doomben.
The Inflictor also was nominated for a Benchmark 94 Handicap at Newcastle.
Cousins, who trains a small team of two, moved to Deagon two months ago and is confident the six-year-old is ready to fire first-up in the Keith Noud.
"I gave a lot of thought about going to Newcastle but in the end the Keith Noud fits in better with his summer carnival plans," Cousins said.
"After the Keith Noud, he'll go to the Recognition Stakes in a couple of weeks, then The Buffering.
"If he can win The Buffering it will give him a wildcard to run in the Magic Millions Cup."
The Inflictor, who will be ridden by Michael Rodd, hasn’t raced since beating one home in a 1615 metre Open at Doomben in mid-July.
A son of 2016 Group 1 Stradbroke winner Under The Louvre, The Inflictor impressed Cousins with a 1200 metre barrier trial win at Deagon last month.
“He went very well and won the trial easily on a heavy track,” Cousins said.
The Inflictor is yet to win in six attempts first-up but has placed on five occasions.
The Inflictor developed a cult-like following after earning a golden ticket into the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap two years ago.
However, he suffered a buffeting in Queensland’s premier sprint finishing 11th, less than five lengths behind Victorian War Machine.
The Inflictor tried to gain a Stradbroke start again this year but missed a golden ticket for the Group 1 race after finishing sixth to Abounding in the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben in May.
Although some of the shine has come off The Inflictor after a winless winter carnival, Cousins is hopeful his star sprinter can bounce back.
Cousins trained for many years at Doomben before relocating to Deagon.
"We had lived near Doomben since 1981 but when Mum moved into an aged car home we sold the property and set-up at Deagon," he said.
"I now rent a couple of stables off course at Deagon which Jim Murdoch owns."
