The Inflictor bounces back to win Tatt's Mile at Eagle Farm

News.com.au

2 days ago

'He's the dude'.
Those were the crowning three words from hobby trainer Craig Cousins after cult gelding The Inflictor bounced back from a disappointing Stradbroke Handicap to win the $160,000 Listed Tattersall's Mile at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The Inflictor jumped as the $3.50 favourite and the result never looked in doubt when the four-year-old hit the lead from about the 300m mark to collect his first stakes victory.
'I've always said the horse is easy to train and there's a lot of people who have helped me,' a delighted Cousins said.
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It would've been a bittersweet moment for jockey Cejay Graham, who was set to ride The Inflictor in the Tatt's Mile if not for a two-week suspension she is now halfway through serving.
Graham also missed out on riding winning mare Miss Joelene, trained by Kelly Schweida, in the earlier Tatt's Gold Crown (2100m).
Graham's close mate Rachel King was the lucky recipient of the vacant ride and she made her opportunity count with a flawless performance, finishing ahead of Sibaaq ($4.70) and Chica Mojito ($11).
'I feel for Cejay, she's one of my best friends in the (jockeys') room so I'm gutted she wasn't riding the horse today,' King said.
'She's done all the work on him and she told me everything I needed to know, so a big shout out to her.
'She's a superstar and I'm sure she'll be back on him again very soon.'
Tough win! The Inflictor digs deep to score in the Listed Tatt’s Mile with @RachelK11 aboard 😎� @BrisRacingClub pic.twitter.com/hgHOOCqi1f
â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 28, 2025
Truck driver Cousins said the victory on Saturday was some consolation for him and connections after The Inflictor finished 11th in this month's $3m Stradbroke Handicap at the same track.
'Yeah it does make up for it,' said the trainer, who only has three to four horses in work.
'The Stradbroke was a tough race. It was his first go in a Group 1 and he didn't get any favours.
'That's just racing and today's proven that he is a Listed horse and it's my biggest win ever as far as race status goes so it's great.
'I'll give him three weeks off now and we'll head down to Sydney.
'I haven't even picked out a race but we'll see what suits him. He could go down for a Benchmark 100 down there.'
Cousins paid tribute to The Inflictor's band of owners, including the syndicate Bond 007, which is essentially a group of mates who used to play together at Moreton Bay AFL club.
'They're a mob of larrikin blokes like myself and they just love it,' the 60-year-old trainer said.
'They're all happy, it's great. It's a big day in my training life for sure.'
King said The Inflictor had been 'beaten up a little bit' in the Stradbroke but being drawn out wide on Saturday was a blessing in disguise because it allowed him more room to strut his stuff.
'He probably doesn't want any further than the mile, but credit to the team for getting him ready after that run in the Stradbroke,' she said.
'He got his confidence back and it's great to get a winner for Craig.'
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Relaxed Metalart too slick in Healy Stakes
Eagle Farm trainer Kelly Schweida reckons his WJ Healy Stakes winner Metalart is so relaxed that you could tie him to a fence post and a week later he'd still be chilling out.
But the four-year-old gelding had enough zip on Saturday at Eagle Farm to beat Austmarr ($8) and General Salute ($4.40) in the $200,000 Group 3 race over 1200m, handing Schweida a winning double for the day following Miss Joelene's success in the earlier Tatt's Gold Crown (2100m).
'You could tie him up to a fence post, come back a week later and he'd be fine,' Schweida said.
'He's a lovely horse. I don't know where his ceiling is, he just keeps winning. It's quite incredible really.
'He's a very unassuming horse, but he got a gun ride (from Jason Collett) today.
'He goes to sleep in the tie-ups, he's so quiet and lovely and he doesn't look like a racehorse, but he's a pretty good one.
'He probably should have won a stakes race by now.
'He almost came from behind the other day (in the 1000m Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm won by Vodka Martini).
'We got the saloon passage from the good gate today.'
Metalart salutes in the last at Eagle Farm with Jason Collett in the saddle earning a double for the @schweidaracing stable! ðŸ'� pic.twitter.com/eiq78RzDWQ
â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 28, 2025
Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michael Rodd is the regular rider for Metalart but fractured his hand during trackwork at Eagle Farm last week, handing Collett a golden opportunity.
Collett will be enjoying his holidays on the Sunshine Coast in two weeks but he made sure he finished Tatt's Tiara day with a bang.
'He's got such a great attitude,' Collett said about four-year-old gelding Metalart, who has now won eight of his 14 races.
'Once he got going the run was easy, and he was strong late.
'I remember seeing him over the Christmas period when Michael Rodd won on him (in a Benchmark 78), and he looked impressive that day.
'I'd say 1400m is probably his best trip, so it was a good sign that he was able to win over 1200m today.'
Hidden Wealth jumped at $6.50 but could only manage fourth on a disappointing day for the Tony Gollan stable after star mare Floozie finished fifth in the $700,000 Group 1 Tatt's Tiara.