JOHN HAS DESIGNS ON CUP
2 May, 2007.
PROSERPINE trainer John McNamara reckons things couldn't have worked out better for the heats of the Mackay Cup (456m) on Thursday night.
McNamara has the in-form track specialist Design Assassin (Royal Assassin-Special Design) drawn box one in the opening heat of the Cup.
The $5000 to the winner final will be run next Monday.
"That's the perfect box for him," said McNamara.
"He is a mad railer and will not let anything up inside him."
McNamara is supremely confident of success in the heat.
"But I'm the world's worst judge," he said.
Design Assassin has won 10 and been placed in nine of his 25 starts all on the Mackay track.
He comes into the heat off a career best 26.57 in a top grade there last Thursday night, ironically also from box one.
The previous week he had been a luckless second to Brother's Belle in the Mackay final of the Intercity Challenge.
That pair will go to Cairns on May 26 for the rich final.
"The trip to Cairns will be interesting because he has never been beyond 456m and has never run on sand," he said.
McNamara trains the dog for Peter Hare and Glen Weston. Weston's brother had the dog in Sydney but sent him north.
"He is not a bad dog," said McNamara. "Rising Seas is better but she doesn't begin as good as this bloke."
Rising Seas is out with a toe injury at the moment.
McNamara doubts the strength of Design Assassin but is confident he will win his heat because of his box manners.
Design Assassin is a fabulous chaser according to McNamara and the dog's after race antics are famous at Mackay.
"Every week he pushes through the catching pen curtain and races off down the back straight to get the lure," said McNamara.
"I've now got three people in the pen trying to stop him."
McNamara is concerned most with visiting Albion Park galloper Rose Festoon from the Kevin Bukowski kennel.
The bitch has won eight races and two starts back ran 25.91 to win at the Gold Coast.
"I can beat the rest, but I don't know about her," said McNamara.
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