Fabwik Fires Adelaide Cup Warning

SOUTH Aussie trainers made a statement in Thursday night’s heats of the Group 1 Ubet Adelaide Cup at Angle Park, claiming four of the five run-offs heading into Friday night's relatively open $75,000 to-the-winner final.

Adam Dobbin05 October 2018

SOUTH Aussie trainers made a statement in Thursday night's heats of the Group 1 Ubet Adelaide Cup at Angle Park, claiming four of the five run-offs heading into Friday night's relatively open $75,000 to-the-winner final.

With the series robbed of some serious star-power as the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase begins to reach its crescendo in Sydney, just the 34 nominations were received for South Australia's flagship event, where the fastest qualifier from last Thursday's heats was Fabwik for her owner/trainer and breeder Kirin Corby, hugely impressive leading all-the-way in a stunning 29.48.

Clearly setting the time-standard with a relentless demonstration of sustained speed from box one, the daughter of Fabregas' claims for Friday night's final heightened at box draw proceedings – again drawing the cherry – more than enough reason to see Bet365.com install her as a warm $2.50 favourite.

For trainer Kirin Corby, who has guided Fabwik to 14 wins from the 26 appearances, she remains more hopeful than confident heading into Friday night's decider, tickled pink with her star galloper's career best showing last Thursday.

"I have no luck when I talk to you people," said a proud, and part-joking Kirin Corby on Friday afternoon.

"She hasn't had a lot go her way right from break-in, but she's just all heart and loves to run. When she was finished breaking-in she came home and the best way to try and describe it is that it looked like someone had scraped her hip muscles out with a knife – there was nothing there – it was just hollow.

"I had her to different vets and muscle experts early on and a few told me I was wasting my time and she wouldn't handle corners but it's just improved in time, mainly through her and just running and working on it herself, I just love her, she's a pleasure to train, not a problem in the world."

Remaining cautiously optimistic leading into Friday's finale, Corby is gearing up for her maiden Adelaide Cup runner, her biggest thrill to date a fourth placing in the 2003 Group 1 Topgun with her former warrior galloper Lion Hearted.

"I'm happy to just take Thursday; whatever happens Friday is a bonus. We had to miss the Match Races Series recently with a toe injury and I was just hoping we'd done enough work on it going into the heats – it looks like we did," added Corby.

"I didn't even know she'd drawn box 1 for the final until someone told me when I left the kennels as I was getting her swab done at the time. There is plenty of speed in two and three which might bring her undone but she did stumble slightly last night so hopefully she's got some improvement as well."

Fabwik, a February 2016 daughter of Fabregas and Wikena, is the second litter bred by Corby from the Puppy Classic winning dam, the first to Cosmic Chief producing just two pups, including 19-race winner Harbormaster.

On a top night of racing at Angle Park last Thursday, the first cup heat was taken out by Irene Rehmann's Master Chaos, the son of Lochinvar Marlow scoring in the last stride over Vital Force in 29.93.

Qualifier three provided the finish of the night, with Seona Thompson's Real Simple gripping on for dear life, staving off a fast finishing Spring Bridge and Smart Knocka, with just a neck separating the trio in 29.79.

Leading local trainer Ben Rawlings was to the fore in heat four landing an impressive heat win with Alpha Aion, the much traveled son of Magic Sprite finding a real home in South Australia, continuing his grand form with a two length win to provide Rawlings with two runners in the final, also qualifying Bogie Bullet.

The fifth and final heat was a one-two finish for Tony and Lisa Rasmussen, with Honcho Monelli powering home to run down and defeat tear-away leader Larrikin Locky in 29.74.

Early markets for Friday night's Adelaide Cup decider have Fabwik ($2.50) favourite ahead of Real Simple ($3.50), with Honcho Monelli ($4.50) and Spring Bridge ($6.50) considered the next best chances in what looms as an absorbing battle.

Group 1 Adelaide Cup Box draw