BRISBANE - Once bitten, twice shy - that's the philosophy Toowoomba trainer Ron Maund is likely to adopt with Ice Chariot for the spring following the gelding's brilliant victory in the group three Queen's Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Ice Chariot, ridden to perfection by injury-plagued jockeyStathi Katsidis, defied his pedigree to score by a neck over unlucky Kiwi stayer Pentathon in the 3200m feature with Phantom Agent a further short neck away third in a blanket finish.
Katsidis was successful on Ice Chariot in the group three Tatt's Cup (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 23 but missed the ride on the 4-year-old through injury when he finished 10th in last week's Listed Caloundra City Cup (2400m) at Caloundra.
Maund was never confident Ice Chariot would stay 3200m even though his win in last year's group one Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm clinched a Melbourne Cup campaign in November.
"He's probably qualified for the Melbourne Cup again but I don't think his owners want to part with A$46,000 ($50,941) again to pay up in the Melbourne Cup this year," he said.
"He's probably not up to the international horses in the Melbourne Cup but we might head to Sydney first and races like the Newcastle Cup and Metropolitan Handicap."
Ice Chariot finished second last in last year's Melbourne Cup won by Japanese stayer Delta Blues but Maund believes a growth spurt was the main reason for his poor spring form in the south.
"If he goes back to Melbourne he'll probably run in the lesser staying races," Maund said.
"I'll give him a spell now with Gold Edition at Heritage Farm in Sydney and then we'll look at the spring races down there."
Trainer John Wheeler believed New Zealand Cup winner Pentathon was game in defeat.
"I thought he had won but I didn't see the winner and I was looking at the third horse," he said.
"He lost his spot at the top of the straight and had to change course which cost him the race."
Wheeler plans to spell Pentathon before heading to Sydney next autumn and ultimately a Caulfield and Melbourne Cup tilt next year.
