Jumbo Prince ran second in last years Ipswich Cup
The form from recent Eagle Farm meetings has not held up at other tracks and trainer Michael Nolan is hopeful it will prove the same for Jumbo Prince in the Ipswich Cup.
Jumbo Prince turned in the worst run of his 42-start career when beaten 10 lengths into 12th place in the Group Three Premier’s Cup at Eagle Farm three weeks ago.
Nolan is hoping the run can be put down to Jumbo Prince getting in the wrong part of the Eagle Farm track which on that day, proved the death knell of many runners.
The rest of the major Brisbane winter carnival meetings were subsequently moved to Doomben.
The form out of that Eagle Farm meeting has been unreliable and Nolan only has to look to last Saturday to get a perfect example.
“The Brisbane Cup winner Chocante finished back with us in the Premier’s Cup and he came out and bolted in,” Nolan said.
“We will have to see how the track is at Ipswich on Saturday. I don’t want it too heavy.”
Jumbo Prince, who ran second in last year’s Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) with 56.5kg, has paid the price for his consistent form in stakes races from which he has two wins and eight minor placings.
He has been given 58kg on Saturday which is the same weight carried by Maurus to win last year’s Ipswich Cup.
“Jumbo Prince isn’t a big horse but he is all heart. I am not looking very far ahead with him because of the weights he gets,” Nolan said.
“At this stage it is the Ipswich Cup and then the Caloundra Cup in a fortnight but we will review it again after Saturday.
“He cost $8000 and has won $844,000 so he owes us nothing.”
Nolan will also have the exciting Sir Donald in the Three-Year-Old Hcp (1100m).
The gelding has won five of his eight starts including his past two runs back from a spell.
“He is a promising horse and the only blemish on his career to date was at Eagle Farm where he didn’t handle the track,” Nolan said.
