McGuire family chasing Cups double

By Garry Dell

Townsville's McGuire family will form the nucleus of a large cheer squad hopeful of a unique Cups double at Ingham on Saturday.

The squad will be led by trainer Matthew supported by fellow trainer and former jockey father Patrick and a number of shareholders in Cups contenders Savvy Sovereign and Going Nuclear.

Savvy Sovereign will line-up in the Hinchinbrook Cup over 1400 metres while Going Nuclear will carry the larger squad's hopes in the Ingham Gold Cup Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1600 metres.

The Hinchinbrook Cup is also a Country Cups Challenge qualifier. 

Unfortunately for the stable, Savvy Sovereign has not had the required five starts at country meetings to qualify for the CCC Final at Doomben on November 30.

But, Matthew McGuire said it would be "nice to have the Cup trophy sitting in our place".

The Savabeel gelding has six wins and eight placings from his 36 starts and ran fourth at Cluden on Melbourne Cup day.

"He's in great shape and working well in the lead-up to Saturday," Matthew McGuire said.

"The 1400 metres around the tight Ingham circuit will suit his style of racing and he'll be hard to get past if he's in front turning for home.

"Going Nuclear has been going well in his four starts for us since coming from Danny O'Brien and his past two starts have been over 1609 metres at Cluden for a win in a Benchmark 55 and a close third in a Benchmark 58.

"He should be right in it being a Benchmark 60 and improve on his record of two wins and three placings from only 12 starts.

"We're looking towards him being one of our leading hopes in northern carnivals next year so our hopes are high for Saturday. He's fitted into the North Queensland climate easily and will go into Saturday's race in peak condition."

Matthew McGuire will have another three starters at Ingham and one at Cluden's Amateur meeting on Sunday from his 12 gallopers currently in work.

"We've been doing okay so far this season picking up races here and there and it's really a matter of picking the right races for our team," Matthew McGuire said.

"There are five out in the paddock at the moment and as the weather gets hotter we'll bring them in and turn some out and then turn others out as it gets deep into the hotter weather."