Superman Can Keep Gold Cup In Zammit's Keeping

MICK and Selena Zammit are pretending not, but the pressure is mounting on the Queensland pair as Superman Keeping lines up for the Group 3 Gold Cup (710m) at Albion Park on Thursday night.

Superman Keeping (Feral Franky-Kim Keeping) rattled home late to win his heat of the Gold Cup last Thursday night in 42.08 just a week after arriving from Shaun Kavanagh's WA kennel.

FIELDS AND FORM ALBION PARK THURSDAY NIGHT

Therein lies the pressure.

Kavanagh last year sent the Zammit's top staying bitch We The People which promptly rattled home as well to win the Gold Cup.

Group 3 @GarrardsHnH Gold Cup Heat 2 710m

1st: Superman Keeping (2) – 41.95
2nd: Pocket Money (4)
3rd: Korda (5)#QLDisRacing@RaceQLD @tabcomaumedia @SkyRacingAU @GerardDaffy @Bunny_Brasch @MMcInallyPhotos pic.twitter.com/KtSzHwGzy4

— Brisbane Greyhounds (@BrisGreys) January 26, 2023

Mick denied the pressure.

“No, no pressure at all,” he said.

“This is a very capable dog and we expect him to go close to winning.

“There is a guide to our thoughts on that. He has run quicker winning at Cannington in Perth than We The People.

“And, at his start before coming here, he had won a feature race in great style.”

Zammit said Superman Keeping had flew from Perth last Thursday week and trialled 600m in 35.11 the next day.

“It was a great trial on a track not conducive to great trials,” said Mick.

But the Zammits are well aware of the task facing Superman Keeping.

“He will need a bit of luck and he is desperate to get to the rails,” said Mick.

“But every race involves the need for a lot of luck.”

Zammit knows only too well the looming presence of the Jeff Britton-trained pair Mepunga Ruby and Korda.

“There are two moderate beginners drawn inside Mepunga Ruby so she should be straight to the front early,” he said. “She is going to get the best run in the world.

“But, I was impressed by Korda's effort and expect him to be a very big improver in the final.”

The Gold Cup has a winner's purse of $100,000 and includes Group stars throughout the line-up.

“The locals drawn out wide like Pocket Money and Oh Oh Range both have good early pace, so they are chances if they can get across,” said Mick.

Box Draw
Group 3 GARRARDS GOLD CUP
2/2/2023.

1. DAYS OF THUNDER
2. STAGGER OUT LEE
3. MEPUNGA RUBY
4. KORDA
5. SUPERMAN KEEPING
6. POCKET MONEY
7. SORORITY
8. OH OH RANGE

9. (1st Res) ME AND YOU
10. (2nd Res) GIN SHELF@Bunny_Brasch @BrisGreys @Racing_QLD @SkyRacingAU

— QRIC Stewards THB (@QRICStewardsTHB) January 26, 2023

The Zammits have Group star Jay Is Jay as a hot chance in the Group 1 Gold Bullion final and have already nominated him for the upcoming G1 The Temlee.

“It is a race we would love to contest,” said Mick.

“Obviously we are taking Thursday night first and see what the outcome there is.

“You only get one chance to go into some of these major races and The Temlee is on our radar.”

Zammit says his brother Tony's finalist De Ferran could hold the key to Jay Is Jay's chances.

“We need to cross De Ferran,” he said. “De Ferran likes to stay off the track around the first turn so if we are on his outside that will not help us.

“It is a very, very open race and as we all know, what begins best can win the race.”