Horse Racing

This Saturday Doomben Racecourse is set to host the first Group 1 race of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival, the $400,000 BTC Cup (1200m), and the final field for the weight-for-age feature was announced today.

Last start winner of the Group 1 Galaxy (1100m), Ortensia remains the clear pre-race favourite in the 12 horse field after drawing well with barrier four.

The Tony Noonan-trained Testa Rossa mare won the Galaxy first up this season and will be looking to continue her winning form throughout the carnival.

There are many other top chances in the BTC Cup this year including Redoute’s Choice filly Melito.

Trained by Gerald Ryan, the Sydney raider is attempting to become the first filly to take out the BTC Cup since 1991 when it became a weight-for-age event.

Melito, who has displayed sensational form of late winning her maiden Group 1 race in the T J Smith Stakes (1200m) last month before running second to Hot Danish in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m), has drawn mid-field in barrier seven and will be ridden by Blake Shinn.

Another filly also looking to enter the history books is the Peter Moody-trained Set For Fame. The three-year-old daughter of Reset has gained popularity in the betting markets after drawing ideally in barrier two for Saturday, and will be looking to improve on her unlucky ninth in the Storm Queen Stakes back in early April.

The third filly to make the final field this year is the Anthony Cummings-trained Sister Madly out wide in barrier 11.

Other gallopers in the star-studded BTC Cup include another Sydney-trained runner Shellscrape, a Stathi Katsidis mount, who ran second the Ortensia in the Galaxy; Gold Coast hopeful Ghetto Blaster trained by Gillian Heinrich, who fought for Katsidis to ride the Group 2 Victory Stakes winner in the BTC Cup but was denied; and two from the stables of Bart Cummings, Latin News and Russeting.

Saturday’s BTC Cup Day, known this year as Racefest, officially kicks off the Brisbane Winter Carnival and features an elite day of racing and entertainment.

Other Group races scheduled at the meeting include the $125,000 Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2020m) for three-year-olds many on their way towards the prestigious $500,000 Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) on June 12, and the $100,000 Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2020m).

Keep up-to-date with the latest on these races at Doomben. And you can place a bet on the 2010 BTC Cup and find out the latest odds at Sportsbet.

2010 BTC Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw