A full field will face the starter in the $500,000 QTIS Jewel 3YO over 1200m on Saturday with two runners travelling south from North Queensland to take their place in the sixteen-horse field.
The Georgie Holt-trained Satisfied Mugs has made the journey from his Townsville base, while the Jennifer Hatfield-trained Fabulean has travelled from Mackay, with both runners representing regional stables outside the major racing centres.
Satisfied Mugs raced in the QTIS Jewel 2YO at the corresponding meeting last year but never threatened when finishing down the track behind the smart Grafterburners, who has since gone on to win races including the Listed Gold Edition and the $3 million Sunlight.
While there is a clear gap in the class and races won between the two horses, Satisfied Mugs can claim the same strike-rate as Grafterburners, with both horses having won half of their career starts. Satisfied Mugs brings a record of seven wins from fourteen starts into Saturday’s race.
Four of those victories have come at Cairns, where the gelding remains unbeaten, while his other three wins have come on his home track at Townsville.
As was the case in last year’s QTIS Jewel 2YO, Saturday’s QTIS Jewel 3YO represents a significant rise in class for Satisfied Mugs. However, he arrives in good form having won three of his five runs this preparation, including a last-start victory over 1250m on heavy ground, a surface on which he holds a perfect two-from-two record.
Satisfied Mugs can also claim some bragging rights after finishing second to Sheza Alibi, who won the Group 1 Randwick Guineas last Saturday.
Fabulean also comes into the race off a last-start win at Mackay but appears to face an equally tough challenge stepping up in class.
Three starts ago the daughter of Lean Mean Machine ventured south to contest the Listed Mode Stakes but finished well down the field as a $101 outsider, the same price she has again been quoted for Saturday’s race.
Satisfied Mugs is currently listed at double-figure odds but at a more respectable $27 in early markets with bookmakers.
While both visitors may find it difficult to feature prominently in the finish, their presence ensures added interest in the race across North Queensland, with Holt and Satisfied Mugs, along with Hatfield and Fabulean, proudly flying the flag for the region on a big raceday.
