3 minute read
Lightly raced Cudyado has wasted no time announcing his above average ability with two recent victories and will get the chance to complete a hat-trick of wins at Doomben on Wednesday.
Cudyado was a $10,000 bargain buy from the Eureka Stud draft at the Magic Millions sales in 2020 and lines up for only his fourth start in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Benchmark 68 Handicap over 1200 metres.
Trained by David Vandyke on the Sunshine Coast, Cudyado did not raced as a two-year-old and only made his race debut finishing fifth in a Three-Year-Old Maiden in October of last year.
The son of Spirit Of Boom was then spelled and hasn't looked back since.
He easily won a maiden at the Sunshine Coast in May before a dominant win in a Benchmark race at the Doomben in a mid-week contest in June.
Cudyado will again be ridden by Ryan Maloney, who rode the gelding in his recent Doomben victory.
Maloney and Vandyke have been a lethal force in recent years, teaming up with 20 wins from 77 opportunities this season.
Maloney won last season's Brisbane jockeys' premiership with 77 wins and is locked in a battle for third place this season with apprentice Kylie Wilson-Taylor, who is a half victory clear.
Maloney recently spent three weeks out of the saddle following a knee procedure.
Vandyke rates Cudyado as a progressive type and has strong expectations for the future.
"He's a nice horse but he'll go to the paddock after this run," Vandyke said.
"He just needed a bit of time early in his career that's why he never raced as a two-year-old.
"He's going good and he'll be competitive so hopefully we can win one of the last QTIS races of the season."
Vandyke also will saddle Landsborough Lad in the 1200 metre Maiden Plate and Rapaport in the Class 5 Handicap over 1650 metres.
Landsborough Lad has been placed at all four starts this campaign, including a last start third at Eagle Farm last month, while former Kiwi Rapaport has won three of his five starts but hasn't raced since finishing sixth at Doomben last November.
"Landsborough has been a bit frustrating and on paper he should get the job done in this race," Vandyke said.
"Rapaport is going well but I suspect he'll be better over further but he'll race well fresh."
