Cousins weighs Stradbroke shot for The Inflictor

By Glenn Davis

Hobby trainer Craig Cousins will confer with connections before deciding whether The Inflictor will have a crack at next week’s Stradbroke Handicap if successful at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The Inflictor is in danger of missing a start in the $3 million Group 1 feature unless he wins a golden ticket by claiming the Group 2 Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The Moreton Cup winner gains an automatic start for Queensland’s premier feature.

“At this stage he’s struggling to get into the Stradbroke, but there will be a lot of dropouts from horses above him in the order of entry,” Cousins said.

“If he does happen to win the Moreton Cup, then I’ll need to talk to his owners about whether he backs up a week later in the Stradbroke.

“It’s not every day you get the chance of running in a Group 1, but the final decision will be up to the owners.”

The Inflictor ran in last year’s Stradbroke Handicap, but could only manage 11th, beaten less than five lengths, by War Machine.

His form this year has been sound and he is coming off a last start sixth. He was beaten just over one length by the Robert Heathcote-trained Abounding in last month’s Group 3 BRC Sprint over 1350 metres at Doomben.

“It was a great run that day when he led,” Cousins said.

“Nothing that led that day went on to win. But, he pulled up in great order after the run, so I’ve freshened him up for the Moreton Cup as he’s back in distance.

“The only thing I’ve done with him since his last run was trot and canter him and swim him at Eagle Farm.”

Many old-time trainers believe it takes a good miler to win a Stradbroke and Cousins believes The Inflictor passes that test.

“He proved that when he won the Tatt’s Mile over 1600 metres at Eagle Farm last winter,” he said.

The Inflictor has done his share of travelling this campaign, but it hasn’t concerned Cousins who has only three horses in work and still drives a truck for a living.

“He’s going well considering he’s been to Sydney and then up to Rockhampton and back,” he said.

Cousins kicked off The Inflictor’s latest campaign in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes at Randwick in April when he finished fourth to Mazu.

He then hit the road to Rockhampton for the $1 million The Archer, finishing fifth to the Tony and Maddysen Sears-trained Yellow Brick.

Cousins believes the Moreton Cup doesn’t look overly strong.

“I don’t think it’s that strong a race, so he’s a chance,” he said.