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Maurus looks well placed to claim more stakes success when he lines up in the Listed Cellar Maintenance Australia Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast.
The David Vandyke-trained runner was terrific when winning with ease in the Ipswich Cup last start and if he runs anything near that effort he will prove too strong once again.
Maurus, who has now won six of his 17 starts, placing on a further seven occasions, rates well on weight adjusted ratings with his effort behind Our Ivanhowe in the Group 1 Doomben Cup two starts back his best run to date.
Maurus will step out over the 2400m for the first time which should not pose too many troubles and his recent form measures up very well against his rivals today.
Damian Browne remains on board and from barrier eight would expect him to settle in the second half of the field although may be a touch closer than he was in the Ipswich Cup.
Likely to find himself lining up in some feature races during the spring in Melbourne, this looks a very nice progressive race for him and he certainly looks the clear top pick.
Index Linked claimed his first win in over a year when taking out the Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup at Eagle Farm last week and he backs up quickly into this.
Goes up only 200m on his last start effort and form prior to that was solid enough Group company although he has to make plenty of improvement to match it with Maurus off recent efforts.
Index Linked has backed up in a week only twice previously in his career, running second on both occasions, the most recent coming last year when runner up to Epingle in the Chairman’s at the Gold Coast.
Clearly a very good horse on his day with a very sound career record, Index Linked looks the obvious danger but hard to see him getting the better of Maurus.
There look to be a couple runners who are genuine each way chances and one of them is Jumbo Prince who produced an outstand effort to finish runner up to Maurus in the Ipswich Cup.
Well beaten by 3.5L on that occasion and has not won past 1800m but he has shown some very good form this campaign which includes a dead-heat win with Rudy in listed company at Doomben.
The Michael Nolan-trained runner who will be ridden by Jim Byrne has been racing consistently well this campaign and if he can see out the 2400m trip his recent form puts him right around the mark on weight adjusted ratings.
Puccini also can’t be left out of calculations despite a poor run in the Ipswich Cup when fourth, beaten 7.1L when right in the market.
Led on that occasion before failing to finish off the race and goes back up to the 2400m where he has won previously.
Has been well over a year now since his last win but best form will see him right around the mark although well held in his last couple will need to show significant improvement.
Instrumentalist is likely to go around at good odds again today and certainly looks worthy of an each way bet.
Worked home well over the 2150m in the Ipswich Cup last start and the step up to the 2400m will really suit, winning 3/6 previously.
Has now been some 871 days since his last victory however he is rarely beaten too far and will certainly be one who can see out the 2400m.
Certainly expect the winner to come from one of these four and it’s hard to see Maurus being upstaged should he get even luck.