New Zealand trainer Graeme Boyd believes Ginga Dude is up to the challenge of setting a new metric weight-carrying record in the Listed Ipswich Cup on Saturday.
Ginga Dude will carry topweight of 60 kilograms, 3.5 kilos more than Golden Rhapsody carried in his 1981 victory in the 2150-metre feature.
Boyd was satisfied with Racing Queensland handicappers’ assessment of Ginga Dude but was surprised his closest-weighted rivals, Fantastic Blue and the Gai Waterhouse-trained Kinnersley, received 4.5kg less.
“I thought he might get around that weight but it’s a big ask,” Boyd said.
“He’s obviously the class runner in the field but I thought the next two in the weights would be a little closer to him.
“It’s a terribly big ask for him to win with that weight but he’s full of heart and courage and never knows when to give in.
“(Jockey) Michael Walker once told me that if he had to go into a battle with a horse it would be him.”
Ginga Dude, a Jason Taylor mount, originally came to Queensland for the Group Two Hollindale Cup and Group One Doomben Cup at the start of the winter carnival but suffered a setback after winning the Listed Members’ Quality at Eagle Farm in April.
“I brought him here for the Doomben and Hollindale Cups but he bumped his knee after he won at Eagle Farm,” Boyd said.
“I’ve been playing catch-up with him ever since.”
Ginga Dude had a month off following the setback before finishing third in the Group Three Lord Mayor’s Cup at Doomben before his last-start third to Lights Of Heaven in the Group Two Eagle Farm Cup (2200m) on June 2.
“His third in the Eagle Farm Cup was a tremendous run,” he said.
“He went into that run with only one run over 1600 metres under his belt after he hurt himself.”
Boyd believes Ginga Dude is worthy of being claimed an Australian stayer despite his Kiwi pedigree and background.
“I brought him over in February last year to prepare for the Australian Cup and he’s been here ever since,” he said.
“He’s nearly an Aussie.”
The tight-turning Ipswich track is of no concern for Boyd with the rising nine-year-old.
“The tight turns won’t bother him. He’s won at Moonee Valley,” he said.
Boyd will decide after Ginga Dude’s Ipswich Cup performance if he will proceed to the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) two weeks later.
“He’s never been over 2400 metres but he’s older now. He’ll either run it or he won’t,” he said.
