Malliff gears up for another Country Cup Challenge Final

By Glenn Davis

Mareeba trainer Alex Malliff is accustomed to travel both as a trainer and in his former profession as a plumber.

But, nothing compares to the long haul to Brisbane with Love On Sunday for the $200,000 Country Cups Challenge Final at Doomben on Saturday.

“It’s a massive undertaking to float a horse from Mareeba to Brisbane as it’s half way to Melbourne,” Malliff said.

Love On Sunday booked his trip for the Country Cups Challenge Final by winning his last start at Home Hill on November 4.

Malliff has been training for only seven years and is best known as the conditioner of cult hero Paniagua who won the Country Cups Challenge Final at Doomben in 2020.

Love On Sunday arrived at Wondai, north of Brisbane, last Friday and is due to arrive at his Brisbane stables this Friday.

“We had a stop over at Mackay last Thursday and we’re staying for most of the week at Kingaroy and we’ll use Wondai for track work,” Malliff said.

“It’s an 1800 kilometre trip to Brisbane from Mareeba and we’ll stay at the Sunshine Coast this Friday as I’ve got a horse running there before we go to Brisbane.

“It’s a similar trip I did with Paniagua.”

Malliff is excited about Love On Sunday’s chances with Adrian Layt booked to ride.

“He’s a huge chance and has a gun jockey on who knows the horse well,” Malliff said.

“We have a good barrier and he’s in terrific order. He’s a good horse.

“He’s no Paniagua though he’s just keeps getting better and better.

“Paniagua did his thing easily but this bloke has been a handful and is not easy to work on the track and is not easy to ride in a race.”

Layt moved to Townsville about 12 months ago. 

Malliff believes this year’s Country Cups Challenge Final is one of the toughest since the race was first run.

“The form of nearly all the runners is very strong and a lot have been winners lately,” the trainer said.

“I think Art By Concorde is the one to beat.”

The Craig Smith-trained Art By Concorde is aiming to stretch his unbeaten run this campaign to four following his last start win at Yeppoon on November 4.

Art By Concorde claimed the $200,000 Battle Of The Bush Final at Eagle Farm in June and is on track to give Smith a second feature victory in the Country Cups Challenge Final.