By Terry Wilson
CON SCIACCA CAPALABA CUP (366m)
Final: Sunday, May 3 (heats Sunday, April 26)
CLUB officials are hoping that the racing gods finally do them a favour and get the new-look Capalaba Cup (366m) up and running at last.
Since the club elected to switch dates for the Cup – it was last run late in 2018 and moved to an early-February timeslot – things just haven’t worked out.
This is the hugely family-oriented club that has beaten floods and fire yet they cannot take a trick with their feature race, which had originally been elevated to Group 3 money status.
“We haven’t had much luck at all with the Cup since the new format,” said president John Catton.
“What we need is a bit of good fortune with it.”
King of Capalaba Leeroy Rogue was the last Cup winner – a fact that surprised Catton.
The club originally elected not to run the Cup last year and opted for early-season dates.
Now, with the coronavirus issues forcing the Queensland Government to close its borders, it means that interstate visitors heading north for a tilt at the Cup will not happen.
Nor will Queensland trainers based outside the designated south-east Queensland zone.
Which is a pity, agreed Catton, because in the past the Cup was a provincial event with money in the vicinity of $5000.
Originally Cup dates were set for late February-early March, then reset for March 22 and March 29.
But that is when ponding of water on the track resulted in root rot and a resurfacing was called for, pushing the Cup even further back.
Another thing to be looked at for officials is the staging of the National Straight Track Championship at Capalaba mid-year.
Unless things change drastically, that event remains in serious doubt.
Still, according to Catton, Capalaba is ‘flourishing’. It has beaten flooding and even a kennel block fire in the past, but after hard work by voluntary officials, led by manager Bob Patching, this picnic-like facility has soldiered on.
“The Cup will be a big occasion for the club because we have taken giant steps – the club’s flourishing, it’s flying.” said Catton.
In the pipeline for the former non-TAB track – full coverage came late in 2018 – are plans for floodlighting to allow night racing.
“We’ve certainly got succession plans there, we’re exploring the chance to get lights done,” said Catton.
“We want to keep pushing forward with the club.”
Honour board of recent winners: 2018: Leeroy Rogue (Jeff Crawford) 19.48s; 2017: Too Many Bills (Renald Attard) 19.66s; 2016: Better Than This (Kerry Hoggan) 19.62s; 2015: Burj Khalifia (Glen Monkman) 19.69s’ 2014: Burj Khalifia (Glen Monkman) 19.51s.
2013: Veno (John Adams) and Are They Now (Peter Ruetschi) dead-heat in 19.76s ; 2012: Text Me Daddy (Glenn Smith) 19.79s; 2011: Rylee’s Enforcer (Greg Stella) 19.40s; 2010: Hanify\’s Forte (Colin Graham) 19.79s ;2009: Mr Metz (Ron Ball) 19.92s.
