Zammit trio to defend home ground in Cup heats

By Isaac Murphy

The Group 1 Brisbane Cup fields have failed to disappoint, with some of the country’s biggest names making their way to headquarters.

 While the high-end interstate dogs loom large over the series, Selena and Mick Zammit are proud to represent Queensland with a team of three that on their day could take down any rival.

Mick Zammit sat down with RQ to give a heat-by-heat run-down on the kennel’s three sprinter stars Sequana, Stinger Noir and Oh Mickey, who all have claims for reaching next week’s $85,000 final.

Heat 1 – Box Four – Sequana

Sequana begins proceedings in heat 1, best known for her 29.48 performance behind Sennachie in the Group Three Golden Ticket.

Zammit said the enigmatic bitch was where she needed to be for a heat, which includes Victorian star Black Opium.

“I sound like a broken record with Sequana but I would have preferred her closer to the fence than box four, but in saying that I think that’s the closest she’s drawn to the fence in a long time,” Zammit said.

“For some reason she just can’t draw a box when she really needs it.

“She’s going great overall, she had a little setback after her last start win which just held her out the last couple of weeks, but we’ve trialled her since and she’s going as good as ever on the clock.

“As with her it’s always going to come down to where she lands in the run and if she gets to stay safe early, I expect her to be really charging late.”

Middle draw no speed doesn’t read well for the bitch, but Zammit thinks the race could map quite well for her even if she walks out.

“She could have been drawn worse; Shakey Diesel, Magical Cyndie and Best Fit should all beat her out from the inside boxes and she’s a good chance of missing it half a length and finding a spot on the rail early,” he said.

“The reality of the way she races is you’re always going to need a bit of luck, we’ve come to accept that.

“Her preparation has been just short of flawless and if things do go her way we think she can compete with the Black Opium’s of the world.”

Heat 3 – Box 2 – Stinger Noir

Sequana’s brother Stinger Noir was traditionally like his sister, a bit of a liability at box rise but has slowly turned into one of Queensland’s most consistent open company dogs.

He meets Hooked On Scotch in heat 3, who he beat home last week in the Listed Super Sprinters.

“He has done some of his better racing from wide draws where he’s able to recover if he misses it, but I’m happy coming up with the two,” Zammit said.

“He can be hit and miss at the start but he’s far more hit than miss lately and I was really impressed with his run close up third in the Super Sprinters last week.

“Hooked on Scotch is probably drawn where he wants to be in the six and having have a couple of looks at the track now will be very hard to beat, but I’ve got a lot on confidence that Stinger is the second strongest dog in that field and can see him making the final.”

Zammit surprised a lot of people last week when he told us Stinger Noir has been out-trialling kennel mate and Group 1 winner Oh Mickey, but Zammit believes it’s a testament to where both dogs are at.

“I said it last week but he did trial quicker (24.70) than Oh Mickey over the 431 at Ipswich,” he said.

“I didn’t think he began all that brilliantly but was about two lengths better to the back mark, he ran 12.28 to the back and Mickey ran 12.40 which is airborne.

“He’s always been a super trial dog and loves Ipswich, I don’t think it was a knock at all on Oh Mickey, Stinger just loves it there and is travelling very, very well.”

Stinger’s main danger looks to be Hooked On Scotch, who should take great benefit from going around Albion Park for the first time last week but he certainly doesn’t know the circuit as well as Stinger Noir.

“One out-and-out advantage we have against a dog like Hooked On Scotch is runs at the track; even though he’s seen the place he doesn’t run there week in week out like Stinger does,” Zammit said.

“In saying that, looking at the field I think if Hooked On Scotch begins like he did last week he should probably lead from box six this week and not find as much trouble at this first turn, we all know he can run a freakish time if that happens.

“I still think the race maps well for us, Hooked On Scotch should stay off the fence and if our boy begins well he should be able to hold a spot on his back around the first turn, I’m certainly not discounting the other dogs in the field though.”

Heat 4 – Box 2 – Oh Mickey

Oh Mickey enters this week’s heats facing adversity for the first time in his brilliant career, hampered badly his last two starts.

He hasn’t quite been at his brilliant best but is drawn to get every chance in the race that matters.

“I really hope this is the week we see Oh Mickey back on the bunny, we thought we had a pretty good draw last week and he tried to anticipate the start and just didn’t get it right and when you take three of four steps to get going against that company it’s always going to be tough,” Zammit said.

“I think he’s still going alright but with any dog you wonder about their confidence when they get beaten a couple of times, but he gets every chance from the draw (2) and hope he can bounce back.”

Zammit is hardly pressing the panic button, a little bad luck now hopefully paving the way for some good luck over the next two weeks.

“People have obviously been pretty shocked to see him lose the last couple of weeks because of his incredible record, but in a way we’re kind of glad he’s tasted defeat a couple of times and will come back hungrier,” he said.

“Looking at the field he has the wood over the local dogs, Who Told Stevie is a class animal but first time at Albion Park having to do it from box eight makes it a little tougher on him, I really like our chances.”