Fastest qualifier Collinda Patty has returned to her brilliant best in timely fashion, with the classy Victorian stayer chasing a breakthrough Group 1 victory in tonight’s (Thursday’s) TAB Queensland Cup final (710m).
Jason Thompson will be chasing a G1 double at Albion Park, with Collinda Patty and Equalizer both confronted with Box 6 in the Queensland (Race 6) and Brisbane Cups (Race 8) respectively.
Thompson was delighted with Collinda Patty’s heat victory at her Albion Park debut, where she defeated NSW star Zipping Kansas by 3.25L in 41.51sec, the quickest of the four heats of the $150,000 to-the-winner Queensland Cup.
“Collinda Patty’s heat win was one of the best races she’s ever put in.”
“I thought she went great,” Thompson said.
“She can be a bit moody but the last couple of weeks before she went up to Brisbane – she won her heat of the Pink Diamond and was very unlucky in the final and then a couple of trials before she left – told us she was just about back to her absolute best.
“She trialled very well at Albion Park and then her heat win was one of the best races she’s ever put in.
“She ran the quickest of the heats and had one of the best stayers going around (Zipping Kansas) camped on her straight away, but she won easily.”
WATCH: COLLINDA PATTY (B8) is the fastest qualifier for Thursday night’s Group 1 Queensland Cup (710m) after a dominant heat victory at her Albion Park debut, defeating NSW star ZIPPING KANSAS (B6) in 41.51sec.
Collinda Patty will be joined in the final by fellow Victorians, Gypsy Wyong (Box 5) and Drako Bale (Box 8), both trained by Team Dailly, which advanced after running second in their heats.
After exiting Box 8 in her heat victory, Collinda Patty moves to Box 6 for the decider, with TAB marking her at $5, while Gypsy Wyong and Drako Bale are both outsiders at $19 and $26, respectively.
Collinda Patty is in the care of champion local trainer Tony Brett, as is South Australian visitor Bedrock Fred (Box 1), the $2.50 favourite.
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“If she can repeat what she did in her heat she’ll be very hard to beat,” Thompson said.
“She’s had another week to settle in at Tony’s (Brett) and had a look at the track under race conditions, so I wouldn’t expect her to be going backwards.
“She’s out of a similar draw to last week. We would’ve liked to draw ‘the red’ but considering what’s drawn around her, we’re happy with how she’s drawn.”
