Malliff back with a second shot in Brisbane

By Glenn Davis

It’s a long way from Mareeba on North Queensland’s Atherton Tablelands to Doomben but it’s a trip trainer Alex Malliff hopes will be successful with Love On Sunday.

Love On Sunday will run in the Class 6 Handicap over 1650 metres on Wednesday and will become only the second horse Malliff has saddled up in the state’s South East.

Malliff has only been training for six years and is best known as the trainer of cult hero Paniagua, winner of the Country Cups Challenge Final at Doomben in 2020.

Love On Sunday will be ridden by Mark Du Plessis and has drawn well in barrier two.

The rising six-year-old is coming off a last start seventh to the Mark Cochrane-trained Bering Sea in the Mackay Amateur Cup over 1800 metres last month.

“He was caught behind a few tiring horses last start but it was a good run,” Malliff said.

“He’s been racing well up this way and won the Mt Garnet Cup for the second year in a row three runs back.

“The Mt Garnet Cup might not sound like a big race but it’s a very prestigious race up this way and it’s a race everyone wants to win.”

Malliff took up the opportunity to send Love On Sunday south when his wife, Kellie, who came south for the Caboolture Festival Of Show Jumpers.

“Kellie was going down for the show jumpers and there wasn’t much around for him up this way so we thought we’d give him a go in some suitable races in Brisbane,” Malliff said.

“He’s a nice horse but we’ll soon see if he’s good enough for the South East.

“I think he is and we’ve never died wondering before.”

A plumber by trade, Malliff will give up full-time training and will train part-time when he returns to work for the Mareeba Shire Council next month.

“I need something to do during the day so I’ve decided to train while going back to work for the local council,” he said.

“I’m a plumber by trade but I’ll be a foreman for a council work crew.”

Malliff has warned Love On Sunday is not an easy horse to ride but is confident the son of Written Tycoon can fight out the finish.

“I’ve looked at the field and he’s got a good alley and a good rider aboard,” he said.

“He ticks all the boxes.”