David Vandyke prays Maurus gets shot to win Eagle Farm Cup

DAVID Vandyke is sweating on Saturday’s Eagle Farm Cup going ahead, believing Maurus is perfectly placed to clinch the race formerly known as the O’Shea Stakes.

DAVID Vandyke is sweating on Saturday’s Eagle Farm Cup going ahead, believing Maurus is perfectly placed to clinch the race formerly known as the O’Shea Stakes.

Maurus has been impressive in both Queensland runs, winning by a space over 2200m at Doomben before looming to win the Doomben Cup last time before peaking late and finishing fifth.

“He took off too early in the Doomben Cup. I thought it was a huge run,” Vandyke said.

Maurus is not going to the 2400m Brisbane Cup, with Vandyke believing 2200m is “as far as he wants’’. “This looks the perfect race for him. I’m just hoping it goes ahead and he gets his chance to win,” he said.

Vandyke hopes the Eagle Farm Cup may be transferred to another meeting if it is abandoned on Saturday. The stayer’s next assignment is likely to be the Tattersalls Cup in three weeks.

Vandyke will have Sir John Hawkwood in the Brisbane Cup and Brazen in the Queensland Derby.

“Sir John Hawkwood trialled satisfactorily at the Gold Coast this week and is going well,” the trainer said. “All of the form around him, both here in Queensland and in Sydney has stacked up strongly.

“With Brazen I’m going to make a few gear changes. The blinkers will come off and I will put ear muffs and winkers on just to try and help him run out the 2400m.’’

Vandyke has hinted that Less Is More could be his final runner from his Sydney stable when he contests the Thomson Reuters Tax & Accounting Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

David Vandyke says the Eagle Farm Cup is the ‘perfect’ race for Maurus. Picture: Grant Peters

Vandyke recently relocated to the Sunshine Coast and is in the process of closing down his Warwick Farm stable.

“Less Is More is the last horse I have at Warwick Farm that will race in Sydney,’’ Vandyke said. “Whether this is his last race in Sydney or whether he has one more run, I’m not sure yet. But we are getting ready to move the remaining horses at Warwick Farm to the Sunshine Coast.’’

Less Is More hasn’t won a race for nearly three years but he could provide Vandyke with a farewell Sydney winner on Saturday.

The veteran galloper has been unplaced in three runs back after a 14-month spell due to injury, but his effort when 11th in the Scone Cup suggested he is not far off his best form again.

“I thought Less Is More was enormous at Scone, it was a super run,’’ Vandyke said. “He had no luck at all in that race. There must have been a few who noticed the run because I have never had so many people text and call saying how well the horse went.

“He usually takes a few runs to find form and he has won three times on soft tracks. The barrier (14) isn’t ideal but hopefully it won’t be too much of a disadvantage by the time his race is run.’’

Originally published as David Vandyke prays Maurus gets shot to win Eagle Farm Cup