Top southern stayers for Queensland Cup

Yogi (yellow) and Azuro will run in the Queensland Cup for the Ciaron Maher-David Eustace stable.

The Ciaron Maher-David Eustace training partnership looks set to add another stakes win to its tally with a two-headed attack on the $200,000 Listed Queensland Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm.

Saturday’s Cup is one of the oldest races in Queensland and was traditionally run in November until about 10 years ago when it was switched to the winter.

It is one of the few remaining 3200m-races in Australia although there is talk of the Brisbane Cup being returned from 2400m to the longer distance next season.

Maher and Eustace, who have their main stables in Victoria, will send Sydney Stayer’s Cup winner Azuro and Sandown Cup winner Yogi for the Listed Cup.

Both those races are run at Saturday’s distance of 3200m.

Annabel Neasham, who looks after the stable’s Sydney horses, said both were doing well and would head to Brisbane on Thursday night for the race.

“Azuro was very strong at the end of the 3200 metres in the Stayer’s Cup and Yogi won at the distance in the Sandown Cup where Azuro was second,” she said.

“It is hard to get a line on who will run in Brisbane but our horses have the staying form on the board.

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“They don’t get many chances to run over 3200 metres and we have to take them when they come.”

Azuro, who did his early racing in France, is yet another of the stayers brought to Australia by Terry Henderson’s OTI syndication company.

The gelding has gradually worked into form in Australia and will be chasing a win in his third state on Saturday.

Yogi came to Australia from New Zealand as a maiden and has since won eight races including the Listed Sandown Cup and Port Adelaide Cup.

At his most recent run he was second in the Winter Cup behind Destiny’s Kiss on June 15.

It has been a good year already for the Maher-Eustace partnership with 10 stakes wins including four in Brisbane.

Their best result in the north this winter was the Group One Doomben Cup with Kenedna.

The stable could have up to four runners at the Eagle Farm meeting.