Britton's ‘Big' Threat In Listed Clem Jones Cup

TIM Britton says Group 1 winner First Picked is going as good as ever and rates highly in Thursday night's Clem Jones Cup (710m) at Albion Park, but kennel “new chum” Big Suzie holds the key to the race.

Big Suzie (Shima Shine-Slinky Inky) is trained at Seymour in Victoria by James Shaw and she comes into the Clem Jones Cup off a career record of 37 starts for eight wins and 14 placings, earning $65,000.

FIELDS AND FORM ALBION PARK THURSDAY NIGHT

But, James has sent Big Suzie to Tim Britton to be prepared for the Brisbane Summer Carnival starting with the Clem Jones Cup and going into next week's Group 1 Gold Cup.

“She's been here a week and a half and trialled at Albion Park not long after she got here,” said Churchable-based Tim.

“Her first three sections in the trial were as good as those Valpolicella reeled off when she went 41.55 a couple of weeks ago.

“And, she has done well since, settling in well.”

But, Tim is confident First Picked (Benali-Erelda Bale) is racing as well as ever and the winner of 17 races, including the Group 1 WA Galaxy and $343,000, will be hard to beat on Thursday night.

“We freshened her up and she has come back great,” said Tim.

First Picked, whose dam is a litter sister to champion Fanta Bale, will race on “as long as her body holds up” said Tim.

“That should be at least through to the Winter Carnival at Albion Park later in the year,” he added.

“Then, she and her sister Cash It In will have brood bitch careers. They are the most magnificent looking bitches.”

Rival, Tom Tzouvelis, has two top Clem Jones Cup hopes in litter sisters Sorority and Scintillate (Konomi-Sherbini) both coming off last-start 710m wins at Albion Park.

“Sorority is proven at the distance, but Scintillate has more upside,” said Tom.

Scintillate is on the comeback trail after slicing the back of her wrist as a youngster and spending nine months on the sidelines.

“We had just got her back going again when she ripped her stopper pad off and that put her on the sidelines for another three months,” said Tom. “Joe McErlean did a marvellous job of stitching together the back of her wrist.”

Tzouvelis also believes Big Suzie is a huge danger in the Cup.

“She is a very good bitch,” said Tom. “And, James is a great trainer. I've known him for years when he was working for Craig Roberts in New Zealand.”