Milligan Hands Williams Consecutive Capalaba Cups

LEGEND thoroughbred trainer Bart Cummings came up with an apt quip many years ago when his number 1 jockey Darren Beadman announced he was giving up riding because God had called him to the church.

Bart's quip was … “I wish he'd get a second opinion”.

Premier Queensland breeder-owner Steve Williams might be thinking the same thing about his trainer Tony Brett after the pair combined to win the Group 3 Capalaba Cup (366m) with Milligan on Sunday.

Williams had won the Cup last year with the Kevin Ellis-trained Impact.

Brett publicly announced a few months ago he was cutting right back on his kennel.

He and Williams have combined to produced such racetrack greats as Glen Gallon, Velocity Regina, Sentenced, Jury, Benarkin, Chant, Ruff It … the list goes on.

Milligan (Keybow-Velocity Charm) began like a rocket and led throughout to win the Cup in 19.48.

Capalaba Sun Oct 9 2022
2022 (Group 3) Capalaba Cup Final
1st – Box 3 Milligan – Tony Brett
2nd – Box 1 Sacred Stance – Michelle Sultana
3rd – Box 6 Tira Mira – Cliff Houston
19.48 (1.90 – 4.08 – 13.50) Head x 2 1/4. 4k Tail Wind pic.twitter.com/VeLupDTYCQ

— John Brasch (@Bunny_Brasch) October 9, 2022

He held off the determined bid by runner-up, Sydney visitor and hot favourite Sacred Stance, to score by a head with two and a quarter lengths to outsider Tira Mira running the race of its life for third.

It was Milligan's 18th win in 31 starts and he has now earned $120,000.

Brett has never been one to chase riches up the straight at Capalaba until recent times when the lure of prizemoney hikes became too much.

Milligan was a great second to Mr America in the National Straight Track Championship at Richmond in late August.

He has also been third in the Straight of Origin and a finalist in the G3 Rockhampton Cup and G3 Young Guns at Albion Park.

Williams was not at Capalaba on Sunday having spent a week in hospital at Hervey Bay where he lives after a “heart scare”.

“A normal heart rate is around 90 to 100,” said Steve. “Mine was up to 220.

“The doctors have put me on some medication to fix it.”

He said he and Brett had spoken about switching Milligan to 600m racing in the future.

“He's always been a gutsy dog,” said Steve. “Tony has always had a huge opinion of him.

“We've spoken about stepping him up.”

One of the first to ring and congratulate Williams was Kevin Ellis.

He told Williams he could now expect to be called, just like Bart Cummings, “the Cups King” after back-to-back Capalaba Cup victories.

Meanwhile, Capalaba track judge, Tricia Fuller, had to beg off from her duties for race five to handle her own dog Georgie Choo (Cosmic Rumble-Bikini Cloud) to win the Bob Vernon Memorial Maiden in 20.02.

Tricia has only a small team in training.

Georgie Choo held off Ninetymile Queen by a head to win with Caramel Queen in third.

The victory was doubly close for Tricia.

Georgie Choo's dam Bikini Cloud was trained by her late partner Glenn Smith. Bikini Cloud was a multiple Group finalist when trained by Glenn. She made eight feature race finals.

Gary Mackay's Fernando Grand, at odds of $14, cleared out to win the Cup Consolation in 19.50 from Champagne Jazzy and Bogie Fury.