Australia: Maximum Output goes for two in a row in Noosa Cup

With the benefit of narrow victory in his last race, the Australian gelding Maximum Output can win consecutive starts for the first time in his career in the minor Noosa Cup at five furlongs on turf at Sunshine Coast Racecourse north of Brisbane on Saturday evening.

Maximum Output, a winner of 5 of 28 starts, ended a 13-race losing streak with a nose win in a five-furlong handicap at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Sept. 30. Maximum Output closed from fifth of nine to reach the front just in time, racing against a slightly lower class of runners than he will face as part of a field of 13 in the Noosa Cup.

Trained at Sunshine Coast by Stuart Kendrick, Maximum Output has won 2 of 9 career starts at the venue. Maximum Output often races as a stalker.

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Maximum Output will start from post 2, far inside of top contenders such as Beast Mode in post 11 or Flaming Conquest in post 13. Flaming Conquest and Beast Mode were second and third in the Sept. 30 race against Maximum Output, beaten narrowly.

A five-furlong race at Sunshine Coast begins from a chute that joins the final turn with about a quarter-mile remaining. Horses from outside gates can be wide for much of the race if their riders do not make an effort to save ground early.

Beast Mode has won 4 of 7 starts, and was beaten a head on Sept. 30. Beast Mode is effective as a pacesetter or stalker and is unbeaten in two starts at Sunshine Coast, where he is part of trainer David Vandyke’s stable.

Flaming Conquest was second by a nose on Sept. 30. A winner of 5 of 11 starts, Flaming Conquest is likely to set the pace, which should offset the wide draw.

The Noosa Cup is part of a seven-race program that begins at 10:45 p.m. Eastern or 7:45 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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