Darren Weir, Lindsay Park and Grant Young will all have a strong hand in this year’s UBET Adelaide Cup with multiple runners from each stable nominated for the Group 2 feature.
Weir has a strong contingent of chances for the Cup with yesterday’s Group 3 Launceston Cup winner Bondeiger nominated along with fourth placegetter Andrea Mantegna. Last year’s favourite and third placegetter Master of Arts is also nominated along with Ormito who has run third in his last two starts at Listed level, last start winner Our Yangtzee and Poppiholla.
The Lindsay Park stable will be led by last year’s Sandown Cup winner Fanatic. Since her win over 3200m at Sandown, Fanatic has had two runs back from a spell and is set to run in Saturday’s Listed Roy Higgins at Flemington. The Hayes & Dabernig stable have also nominated Al Haram, Dane Hussler, Raindrops on Roses and Rokda Kasba.
Murray Bridge based trainer Grant Young is leading the local chances with four nominations including Tunes who would be set to line up in his third Adelaide Cup with his best finish being a second placing in the 2016 edition. Exalted Lightning has come on leaps and bounds since joining the Young stable, with five wins and three second placings from eleven starts including his last start win in the Listed Birthday Cup. Other runners for Young include Dance of Heroes and Majestic Moment.
South Australia’s other strong chances will come from the Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas trained Pretty Punk who recently won the Group 3 Hobart Cup before running third in yesterday’s Group 3 Launceston Cup. Jim’s Journey is set to line up in his third Adelaide Cup and the Peter Blanch trained stayer has a fantastic record in the big race with a fourth and fifth placing in his two starts. John Hickmott has the other local hope in Flying Casino.
Robbie Laing’s Double Bluff looks set to return in the hope of going one better after running second in last year’s edition. He has won his last two races including the Listed Torney Cup at Moonee Valley which has been a fantastic lead up race to the Adelaide Cup. Laing has also nominated Cuban Fighter who has never missed a place over 3000m in three starts. O’Lonera ran second in the Torney Cup and is also nominated for the big race. The Cindy Alderson gelding has been in fantastic form with two wins and two second placings from his last five runs.
The interesting nomination for the race is the New Zealand visitor Benzini. The James Bull trained stayer is a Group 2 winner and has placed at Group 1 level. He also finished sixth in the 2016 Hong Kong Vase, so he definitely has some class.
Like a Carousel is set to return for his fourth crack at the Adelaide Cup. His best result was a fourth placing in 2014 but has hit some good form recently winning the Listed Pakenham Cup in December for Ken Keys.
Mick Kent's Diamond Grace will be another horse worth watching. The five-year-old mare has only had nine career starts for three wins and four placings. She beat Raindrops on Roses at Moonee Valley and ran third to Bondeiger in January.
Saturday's Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes is the traditional final hit out before the UBET Adelaide Cup and nine of the ten in the field are nominated for next Monday's Cup.
The final field for the UBET Adelaide Cup will be announced at 10am on Tuesday 6 March.
Nominations for the UBET Adelaide Cup
Horse |
Trainer |
Al Haram |
David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig |
Andrea Mantegna |
Darren Weir |
Benzini |
James Bull |
Bondeiger |
Darren Weir |
Corrs |
Matt Cumani |
Cuban Fighter |
Robbie Laing |
Dance of Heroes |
Grant Young |
Dane Hussler |
David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig |
Diamond Grace |
Mick Kent |
Double Bluff |
Robbie Laing |
Etah James |
Matt Cumani |
Exalted Lightning |
Grant Young |
Fanatic |
David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig |
Flying Casino |
John Hickmott |
Jim’s Journey |
Peter Blanch |
Khezerabad |
Aaron Purcell |
Like a Carousel |
Ken Keys |
Majestic Moment |
Grant Young |
Master of Arts |
Darren Weir |
O’Lonera |
Cindy Alderson |
Ormito |
Darren Weir |
Our Yangtzee |
Darren Weir |
Poppiholla |
Darren Weir |
Pretty Punk |
Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas |
Raindrops on Roses |
David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig |
Roka Kasba |
David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig |
Tuff Bicke |
Ken Keys |
Tunes |
Grant Young |