Trainer Pat Duff fears his iron horse Cocktail Supreme may be short of match practice for his comeback at Eagle Farm on Saturday.Cocktail Supreme will tackle the Marist Ashgrove Quality (1200m) and will need to overcome barrier 13 and topweight of 58 kilograms if he is to win for the seventh time in his career.The five-year-old hasn't raced since his effortless win in the Listed Ascot Handicap (1300m) on a heavy track at Eagle Farm on July 5.That win followed courageous performances during the w
Trainer Pat Duff fears his iron horse Cocktail Supreme may be short of match practice for his comeback at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Cocktail Supreme will tackle the Marist Ashgrove Quality (1200m) and will need to overcome barrier 13 and topweight of 58 kilograms if he is to win for the seventh time in his career.
The five-year-old hasn't raced since his effortless win in the Listed Ascot Handicap (1300m) on a heavy track at Eagle Farm on July 5.
That win followed courageous performances during the winter carnival when Cocktail Supreme was runner-up to Sneaky Long in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich and Victorian Pinnacles in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at Caloundra in June.
Cocktail Supreme was also runner-up to the Mick Mair-trained Swiss Ace in the Listed Weetwood Handicap (1300m) at Toowoomba in April.
Duff has no complaints with the gelding's 58kg but warned he was still well short of peak condition.
"He's earned the weight so I can't complain about it," Duff said.
"He's only had one barrier trial and he's only about 80 per cent right.
"Whatever he does tomorrow he's going to improve for his next next run."
Duff's apprentice Mandy Radecker has been retained for Cocktail Supreme after the pair combined to win the Ascot Handicap.
It was the first time Radecker had ridden Cocktail Supreme in a race although she regularly partners the gelding in trackwork.
Radecker became the first female to win Brisbane's apprentices' premiership last season after being denied victory the previous season when she was runner-up after spending four months on the sidelines with injuries.
Cocktail Supreme is being aimed for the Doomben summer series which starts in December.
Duff has been training for more than 40 years and rated last season as one of his most profitable.
He won the the Magic Millions Trophy (1400m) at the Gold Coast in March with Heart Of The Citi and was runner-up with Hard To Catch in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June and Listed Prime Minister's Cup (1300m) at the Gold Coast in May.
Duff has returned to Brisbane after taking Hard To Catch to NSW where he finished sixth in the Group Three Cameron Handicap (1400m) at Newcastle last month before his eighth to Theseo in the Group One Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick last Saturday.