Glen Boss and trainer Robert Smerdon are really keen on the chances of Persian Star in the Brisbane Cup on Saturday. Bossy says: 'Persian Star is flying at the moment. Robert took her to the trials at Cranbourne after her win in the Andrew Ramsden and she scored an easy win in her heat. This is a big step up in grade, but she deserves her chance.' Smerdon is just as confident as the rider. He says: 'Since she won at Flemington she's thrived. I gave her a trial at Cranbourne and she won and reall

Glen Boss and trainer Robert Smerdon are really keen on the chances of Persian Star in the Brisbane Cup on Saturday. Bossy says: 'Persian Star is flying at the moment. Robert took her to the trials at Cranbourne after her win in the Andrew Ramsden and she scored an easy win in her heat. This is a big step up in grade, but she deserves her chance.' Smerdon is just as confident as the rider. He says: 'Since she won at Flemington she's thrived. I gave her a trial at Cranbourne and she won and really that was just to keep her ticking over.'

QTC Cup winner Catapulted has copped a 1kg penalty for the Stradbroke Handicap. He's now set to carry 53kgs and is exempt from the ballot. If he wins, Catapulted will be the first horse to win the QTC Cup/Stradbroke Handicap double.

As cold as the weather...There seems little betting interest in the Stradbroke, according to leading bookies. Sportingbet's Michael Sullivan says: 'In my 25 years it is one of the quietest Stradbrokes betting-wise...Whobegotyou ($2.50, 6/4) looks to be head and shoulders above the rest of them...Punters don't want to back him but they are not backing anything else to beat him. I think he is short enough but the race really does lack depth and once you get past the top half-dozen in the betting, it's hard to see anything else winning, which is unusual for the Stradbroke.'

Latest Stradbroke betting market (TAB Sportsbet prices):

WHOBEGOTYOU 2.50 1.37
ORTENSIA 7.00 2.50
CATAPULTED 8.00 2.75
MELITO 8.00 2.75
BLACK PIRANHA 10.00 3.25
LATIN NEWS 10.00 3.25
GRACEFUL ANNA 13.00 4.00
BORDER REBEL (Doubtful) 14.00 4.25
BEADED 15.00 4.50
PHELAN READY 17.00 5.00
WEALTH PRINCESS 17.00 5.00
MIC MAC 21.00 6.00
ALBERT THE FAT 21.00 6.00
SWIFT ALLIANCE 21.00 6.00