Taken Sets Group 1 Adelaide Cup Pace

RAY Murray upstaged his son Troy when Taken ran the quickest of the seven heats of the Group 1 Adelaide Cup (515m) at Angle Park on Thursday night.

Taken (Fernando Bale-Smitten) scored by three-quarters of a length over Rushes in a flying 29.35.

Troy's kennel stars Golden Night and Major Major won their heats in 29.37 and 29.40 respectively and Ray said he noticed his son was “not that happy” at being upstaged.

“You'd think he had been eating lemons all day,” said Ray with a laugh.

“Seriously though, this is a very fast dog. Jason Thompson sent him over to us for this race as well as the bitch Aston Silk.

“Taken is a fabulous dog, great nature who just puts in.”

Taken has now raced 44 times for 16 wins and earned $73,000.

He is also the winner of the Group 3 Cranbourne Classic and been a finalist in the Group 3 Warragul St Leger.

But, Ray says the box draw for the $50,000 to-the-winner finale has done Taken no favours.

“He has come up with the six box in the final and Troy's dog Major Major has drawn on his outside,” said Ray.

“And, Major Major wants to cut hard left at the start. Our hope is for Major Major to head him early and we miss any trouble.”

But Ray says the Cup final could be a disaster waiting to happen.

“So many of the finalists have a first section around 4.35 to 4.40 and that could cause one hell of a problem at the first turn,” he said.

Hot Cup favourite Catch The Thief trialled between races at Angle Park on Thursday night and ran 29.33 after reeling off a first section of 4.33.

And he has come up with box one in the final.

“Gee, how tough is he going to be in the final,” said Ray of Catch The Thief.

“On his stats from last night, he should lead for sure. Golden Night has drawn the two so he could get a great trail behind him all the way.”

Taken will head back to Victoria after next week's final, but Aston Silk is likely to stay in South Australia.

Box draw for the Adelaide Cup final is: 1 Catch The Thief, 2 Golden Night, 3 Coorong Lucy, 4 Mepunga Isla, 5 Emerley Zero, 6 Taken, 7 Major Major, 8 Miss Bellawood.