Rough Habit Plate 2016: Mackintosh makes brutal statement in countdown to Queensland Derby

CHRIS Waller’s emerging stayer Mackintosh led them a merry dance on Saturday, but a couple of locals are refusing to concede next month’s Queensland Derby.

All the way: Front-running three-year-old Mackintosh scores by three lengths at Doomben on Saturday. Picture: Jono Searle

CHRIS Waller’s emerging stayer Mackintosh led them a merry dance at Doomben on Saturday, but a couple of Queenslanders are refusing to concede next month’s Group 1 Queensland Derby.

The master Sydney trainer has a habit of pulling a rabbit out of his hat during the Queensland Winter Carnival and this year’s rabbit might be the New Zealand-bred winner of the 2000m Rough Habit Plate.

Just like Mackintosh did at Hawkesbury last start, he gave nothing else a chance as he produced a bold frontrunning display for a dominant win by almost three lengths.

Waller’s rising stayer was backed for a stack, $3.20 into $2 late with UBET, and the trainer insists he can be just as effective over 2400m in the Group 1 Derby at Eagle Farm next month.

However, apprentice jockey James Orman said he could not have been more impressed with the run of Queenslander Cylinder Beach, who finished strongly for second and looks like he will be suited over further.

‘’Cylinder Beach will get 2400m easily,” Orman said.

‘’He was only second-up today and has massive improvement in him heading towards the Derby.”

Fellow Queensland Derby hopeful Eagle Way was another to lose no admirers as he finished powerfully for fourth after getting a chequered run.

‘’With better luck in running, he would have run second,” Eagle Way’s trainer Bryan Guy said.

‘’He is right where we want him to be at the moment.

‘’He will be better again in the Grand Prix and then he will be better again in the Derby.”

Mackintosh looks to be all class and has made a promising start for Waller after being transferred from New Zealand trainer James Bridge.

Blake Shinn salutes after Mackintosh emphatically won the Rough Habit Plate. Picture: Jono Searle

Waller was delighted with the gelding’s start to his Queensland campaign and has no fear over the extra distance of the Derby.

‘’He got away with a pretty soft time in front today and he just sprinted away and maintained that good gallop,” Waller said.

‘’He won in a similar way in Sydney last start.

‘’He should be right for the Derby because he is a New Zealand-bred horse and they have got the bloodlines to keep staying. Once these sort of horses find form, they normally hold it.”

Waller has a nice team in this year’s Classics in Brisbane and it is a winning formula he has built up over the years.

He doesn’t always have a future star like last year’s Queensland Oaks winner Winx to bring north but he always has a cunning plan of attack for the Queensland winter.

‘’We have learned over the past few years what works and what doesn’t (in Queensland),’’ Waller said.

‘’I have learned to never be afraid to bring up a horse like Mackintosh.”

Shared honours: Jumbo Prince (left) and Rudy dead-heating in the sixth race. Picture: Jono Searle

Local knowledge delivers double success

MEMBERS’ HANDICAP

AS SOUTHERN horses pinch Winter Carnival spoils, the Queenslanders enjoyed a moment in the sun with a local dead-heat on Saturday.

Jumbo Prince looked like he was set to soar back into the winners’ circle before Rudy flew late in the Members Handicap at Doomben.

Then Jumbo Prince’s trainer Michael Nolan thought he had been pipped on the post. And so did jockey Jim Byrne.

“Rudy has got such a big head on him, I thought he had got me for sure,” Byrne said. “But I’m happy with that result, I will certainly take half a win.”

Rudy’s trainer Helen Page was stoked with the galloper’s run and indicated next month’s Brisbane Cup is on the agenda.

“That was a real Rudy-type run today, he didn’t have any favours,” Page said. “We were three-deep all the way and had topweight. We had to take off a long way from home to be in the finish.

“I’m delighted with him and he has shown he can still do it. Watch out for him in the Brisbane Cup.”

The man who can do no wrong in Queensland: jockey Blake Shinn celebrates his dead-heat success aboard Rudy. Picture: AAP

Legend empties pockets

SONY Legend wasn’t initially going to run at Doomben but gave bookmakers a good result in the Class 6 Plate (1110m).

Punters thought it would be a two-horse war between favourite Another Whiskey and the sensationally backed Freeze The Charges, who firmed from $8.50 into as short as $3.20.

But trainer Brian Smith’s galloper burnt holes in wallets.

“We were going to go to the Gold Coast today, or even look at running at Ipswich next week, but I couldn’t believe it during the week when six horses pulled out,” Smith said.

Originally published as Rough Habit Plate 2016: Mackintosh makes brutal statement in countdown to Queensland Derby