Champion trainer Jason Thompson has declared defending champion Equalizer is going “every bit as good as last year” ahead of Thursday night’s heats of the Group 1 Brisbane Cup (520m) at Albion Park.

Equalizer vindicated Thompson’s judgement with a breathtaking come-from-behind victory in the G3 Super Sprinters last Thursday, completing back-to-back wins in the race and improving his unbeaten record at Albion Park to four from four.

The performance was all the more remarkable, considering Equalizer was actually retired due to injury only two starts after his runaway 29.52sec triumph in the 2021 Brisbane Cup.

“Equalizer is going every bit as good as last year.”

“When I sent him up to Brisbane, I said to Tony Brett he was going every bit as good as he was last year, and he proved that,” Jason Thompson said.

“For his age and he’s had his share of injuries – he missed six months and was retired and served some bitches – it was a big effort, at the highest level too.

“He loves going up there. There are two tracks he loves – obviously, Albion Park, and the other one is The Meadows (nine wins from 16 starts). But he’s only won one race at Sandown; he doesn’t like it for some reason.”

WATCH: EQUALIZER (B3) claimed back-to-back victories in the Group 3 Super Sprinters (520m) in sensational fashion last Thursday night at Albion Park, storming home along the rails to defeat ORCHESTRATE (B7) and PHOTO MAN (B1).

Equalizer has drawn Box 4 in the first of six Brisbane Cup heats (Race 5 at 7.43pm), where TAB has installed him $2.50 favourite.

“He’ll work it out; I’m not worried about the draw at all,” Thompson said.

“Box 4 is better than seven or eight for him. He won last year’s final from Box 4.

“He’s in good form, he’s full of confidence and he knows the track. I couldn’t be happier with him.”

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Thompson and Equalizer’s owner/breeders, cousins Serge and Bill Buccilli, are chasing a third straight Brisbane Cup, with Black Opium, a half-sister to Equalizer, having won the race in 2020, while she finished second to Sennachie in track record time in 2019.

Other Victorian Brisbane Cup contenders are Big Opal Rocks (heat 2), Photo Man and Amron Boy (heat 3), which ran the quinella in heat and final of the recent G2 Flying Amy Classic in Brisbane, and Zara’s Ivan (heat 5).

Four heats of the Group 1 TAB Queensland Cup (710m) will also be held on Thursday, with Thompson having classy litter sisters Collinda Lady (Box 4) and Collinda Patty (Box 8) engaged in the opening two run-offs.

“They’re probably not drawn the best but with four heats, second will get you through, so hopefully they can qualify,” Thompson said.

“They trialled at Albion Park on Sunday and Tony (Brett) was very happy with their trials.”

Other Vic stayers targeting the Queensland Cup are Drako Bale (heat 1), Aston Velvet (heat 3) and Gypsy Wyong (heat 4).

EQUALIZER (3) stormed to a thrilling victory in the G3 Super Sprinters last Thursday night.

IMAGES: Box 1 Photography