Top jockey Danny Nikolic is counting down to next week's Brisbane Cup after partnering Newport to an eye-catching third to Triple Honour in the $250,000 Eagle Farm Cup on Saturday.Newport is on track for his second Brisbane Cup after his win in 2007 and Nikolic booked himself to partner the Paul Perry-trained seven-year-old next Saturday immediately after he dismounted."He raced really well and found the line strongly," Nikolic said."Paul told me he was bit soft going into this and the run will
Top jockey Danny Nikolic is counting down to next week's Brisbane Cup after partnering Newport to an eye-catching third to Triple Honour in the $250,000 Eagle Farm Cup on Saturday.
Newport is on track for his second Brisbane Cup after his win in 2007 and Nikolic booked himself to partner the Paul Perry-trained seven-year-old next Saturday immediately after he dismounted.
"He raced really well and found the line strongly," Nikolic said.
"Paul told me he was bit soft going into this and the run will top him off nicely.
"He'll be much fitter next week and I booked myself for the ride as soon as I got off."
Group One-winner Triple Honour (3.80 fav) backed up his Doomben Cup placing and broke a near two-year drought when he beat Raffaello ($8) by 1-3/4 lengths with Newport ($13) a neck back third in the Group Two 2200m feature.
While winning trainer Chris Waller said Triple Honour would almost certainly miss the Brisbane Cup, Newport and Raffaello are set for a rematch in the time-honoured event.
"I really doubt he will start in the Cup. It's a handicap and he'll have quite a bit of weight in that race," Waller said.
"Obviously he'll have a class edge but at the end of the day we have to look after him and do what's right for the horse."
"We'll nominate for the race but won't make a decision until at least Tuesday or Wednesday but it's very unlikely he'll run."
Raffaello's rider Steven Arnold said the horse was doing his best work late and said he would prove very hard to beat in the Brisbane Cup.
"He ran super. The tempo was nice the whole trip and he just poked along and saved a bit of ground around the corner and he hit the line full of running," he said.