The Brisbane Racing Carnival kicks off this weekend, with BTC Cup Day taking place on Saturday the 10th of May, 2014. The Group 1 BTC Cup is held on the day, together with a range of supporting events including five black type races. With a full racing program and a wide range of non-racing attractions, BTC Cup Day is sure to be a great start to the Brisbane racing season.
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Along with the 1200 metre Group 1 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup, racegoers can also look forward to the 1200 metre Group 2 Bollinger Champagne Classic, 2000 metre Group 3 Mitty’s Rough Habit Plate, and 2000 metre Group 3 Landfill Logistics Chairman’s Handicap.
Race Times
Race 1 12:10 PM GRINDERS COFFEE HCP 1350m
Race 2 12:45 PM X X X X GOLD (BM90) 1600m
Race 3 1:20 PM CHANNEL 7 MICK DITTMAN PLATE 1110m
Race 4 1:55 PM BOLLINGER CHAMPAGNE CLASSIC 1200m
Race 5 2:30 PM CHAIRMAN’S HCP 2000m
Race 6 3:05 PM MITTYS ROUGH HABIT PLATE 2000m
Race 7 3:40 PM BUNDABERG DISTILLING BTC CUP 1200m
Race 8 4:20 PM YELLOWGLEN BRIBIE HCP 1110m
It’s not all about the racing on BTC Cup Day, however, with plenty of other attractions to entertain racegoers. The Indooroopilly Shopping Centre are hosting the Spotted’ Fashions on the Field competition, with racegoers given the opportunity to be spotted by members of the Brisbane Club Fashion Committee. If you are stylish enough to be spotted, you will be given the chance to strut your stuff on the main stage for the ‘Best Dressed Racewear’ title.
Gates open at 10.30AM on BTC Cup Day, with the first race taking place at 12.10PM and the last race at 4.20PM. The highlight of the day, the BTC Cup, is being run at 3.40PM, with the Potbelleez taking the stage to finish off the day at 4.30PM. General admission tickets are just $20, with a variety of dining packages also available on the day.
News:
Havana is almost certain to chase stakes success at Doomben on Saturday provided there is no change to the Brisbane weather.
The three-year-old has been accepted for races in two states but trainer Paul Messara confirmed the Listed Mick Dittman Plate (1110m) at Saturday’s BTC Cup meeting is his preference.
Havana has also been paid up for the Ken Callander Fellowship Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill but given the horse is already in Brisbane, Messara says it will take a rapid deterioration in Doomben’s track conditions to prompt a change of plan.
“He’s up there, he’s drawn well and the track is ideal,” Messara said.
“The conditions in terms of the strength of both races is similar but he has drawn a bad barrier in Sydney.
“There would have to be a downpour overnight for him to head there at this stage.”
A brilliant first-up winner at Canterbury in March, Havana’s autumn campaign was thwarted by wet tracks with his only carnival appearance a mid-field finish in the Royal Sovereign Stakes.
Messara is confident he has the horse in top shape for Saturday and he has taken the precaution of nominating him for the Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke Handicap.
“He is still lightly raced and makes some mistakes but he’s one of those horses, if he can put it all together he could improve sharply.”
Havana’s stablemate, rising nine-year-old Mic Mac, will have a barrier trial at Randwick on Friday in preparation for a winter sprint campaign in Sydney including a defence of his Civic Stakes title.
