Nolan predicting defeat for Jumbo Prince in Caloundra Cup
QUEENSLAND trainer Michael Nolan is lining up second-favourite Jumbo Prince in the 2016 Caloundra Cup on Saturday, but has all but conceded defeat to $1.65 favourite Maurus.
Nolan believes the last start Ipswich Cup winner is Caulfield Cup material and although it’s rare to find an Ipswich Cup winner racing at such a high level, Nolan thinks it’s an unbeatable force at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.
“I don’t think we can beat Maurus and I don’t think any other horse in the race can either,” Nolan said.
“I would be happy if we ran second to Maurus, just like we did in the Ipswich Cup.
“I thought we were going to win the Ipswich Cup because Jumbo Prince was going really well in the run, then Maurus just came around us effortlessly and won with absolute ease.
“Maurus is so good I think he could be a Caulfield Cup horse, and we are all probably running for second in the Caloundra Cup.”
WilliamHill.com.au provides ‘betting without’ markets so punters can bet into a market without Maurus included.
Jumbo Price is on the second line of betting at $6.50 with Sportsbet.com.au and will carry 3.5kg less than Maurus. Nolan believes the son of Outback Prince has been waiting to run over the longer staying races.
“I have always thought of Jumbo Prince as a good stayer and I have been keen to get him up to a trip like this,” Nolan said.
“I think he is at his best at distances of 2000m and further but he has run in a lot of 1600m races because of the programming of races.
“As a three-year-old he ran really well over the longer trip and I’m sure he will run well.”
A field of 12 will line up with the only exemption being Holy Cow which was scratched earlier in the week.
2016 Caloundra Cup market
1. Index Linked – $7.50
2. Maurus – $1.65
3. Puccini – $12
4. Jumbo Prince – $6.50 at Sportsbet.com.au
5. Instrumentalist – $16
6. Gesemi – $26
7. Tunes – $67
8. My Diamantine – $21
9. Amexed – $19
10. Scratched
11. Pop ‘n’ Scotch – $51
12. All Clear – $31
13. Typing – $71