Leading FNQ trainer confident of another Cup
If Stephen Massingham can get Follow Suit anywhere near his form from last year, the reigning Townsville Cup winner thinks the gelding has a 2020 Cup in him.
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If Stephen Massingham can get Follow Suit anywhere near his form from last year, the reigning Townsville Cup winner thinks the gelding has a 2020 Cup in him.
Then with Brisbane trainer Lauren Abbott, Follow Suit was in the background of all the pictures of last year’s Cairns and Cairns Amateurs Cup, finishing second behind the other one in the orange colours, The Harrovian.
With northern triple crown winner The Harrovian opting for a shorter path in 2020, seven-year-old stayer Follow Suit is now with the Cairns Jockey Club premiership winner, Massingham.
Massingham threw Follow Suit into an Open Handicap over 1900m at Cairns late last month, just days after he arrived from Brisbane, and was more than encouraged as he ran three lengths behind the winner after trying to lead all the way.
He drops more than 5kg in weight from that run for Friday’s $85,000 Townsville Cup.
The leading FNQ trainer thinks his new stayer will be at his peak in a few weeks time, ready for his local Cup.
But, is not discounting his hopes on Friday of winning his second straight Cup at Cluden.
“The horse is definitely improving, I wish I had him a month ago,” Massingham said.
“The horse is starting to look better every day.
“We are playing a bit of catch-up with him as the horse got here so late.”
Much of the past 12 months in NQ racing has revolved around The Harrovian.
He won the three biggest races in 2019, came back over the shorter trip and took all before him and is now set for the Cairns Newmarket in a few weeks time.
Follow Suit, by Show A Heart from Royal Green, did not really challenge The Harrovian in last year’s two Cannon Park Cups, finishing more than 2.75 lengths behind him on both occasions.
But, he certainly was the best of the rest.
“If I get him back to what he did last year in those two Cups, well then I am thinking he will be nearly winning a Cairns Cup,” Massingham said.
“He did run second to The Harrovian twice and I think if The Harrovian was going around in the Cups this year, looking at the fields, he would be very, very hard to beat.
“He worked with The Harrovian on Tuesday and I was happy with his work.”
If Follow Suit or Best Hoffa win on Friday, it would add to the stunning string of Cup races for owner Tom Hedley.
With the Mackay Cup in his hands after Best Hoffa won that on July 31, Hedley is the holder of four major NQ cups: Mackay, Townsville, Cairns and the Cairns Amateurs.
Top-weight Unbiased looks the horse to beat in the Townsville Cup with his preparation timed to perfection.
FNQ CHANCES IN THE 2020 CUP
THE Cairns-owned Best Hoffa is chasing two straight north Queensland Cups after winning in Mackay just a fortnight ago.
Best Hoffa is trained by Alby Molino and will be ridden by Pietro Romeo. Tablelands trainer Lisa Donovan has
the consistent Buxton in the race, who will jump from the inside alley, and be ridden
by Cairns hoop Emily Cass.
Fellow Tablelands stayers Rock Spur and Tunero loom as outside chances in the 2000m feature races.
Originally published as Leading FNQ trainer confident of another Cup