La Amistad Leads WJ McKell Cup 2014 Betting

A three-quarter sister to racing royalty Makybe Diva, the Team Hawkes-trained La Amistad has opened favourite for her first stakes assignment of the season in Saturday’s 2014 WJ McKell Cup at Randwick Racecourse.

Destiny's Kiss is second pick for the 2014 WJ McKell Cup in Sydney on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

Redoute’s Choice mare La Amistad is only lightly raced with 10 starts to date, four of which she has won, with number 11 coming up in the $100,000 Listed WJ McKell Cup (2400m) this weekend.

The locally-trained four-year-old has won her last two starts by a combined five lengths enjoying wins over 2100m at Echuca and 2400m at Warwick Farm over the past month.

She’s tipped to return to the winners’ stall again here then with jockey James McDonald staying on after their three length victory last time out.

La Amistad leads WJ McKell Cup betting at $3.30, the firm favourite jumping from out wide in barrier 11 of 14.

There are then four others hopes under double figures to win with:

#2 Destiny’s Kiss ($6.50) – Early market mover, Joe Pride’s five-year-old jumps from barrier one on Saturday after their second win in three starts, two back they beat a class field including Wistful over the Warwick Farm mile before backing up last Friday in the Scone Cup (1600m) when fifth to Cameo
#5 Secessio ($7) – One of five Chris Waller-trained WJ McKell Cup hopes, this British import was seventh to Destiny’s Kiss two back beaten 3.5 lengths but improved at Rosehill on May 10 over 2000m in the Lord Mayors Cup when third, this time beaten just 1.2L, behind Zephyron
#10 Order Of The Sun ($7) – Gai Waterhouse’s smart Encosta De Lago colt won the Listed VRC St Ledger in Victoria by a huge seven lengths over 2800m on April 25 before dropping back in distance for the Group 1 SA Derby (2500m) on May 3 to run sixth behind Kushadasi, they didn’t appreciate a Slow track that day so are tipped to return to form here on firmer ground
#4 Zephyron ($7.50) – Lord Mayors Cup winner is a dual acceptor across two states this Saturday also featuring in the field for Brisbane’s Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2200m), if they stay at home in the McKell they’ll see the mile and a half for the first time

The only two other runners under $20 in the markets are then Waller’s 59kg top weight Permit ($11) coming off a Lord Mayors Cup fifth and Redoute’s Choice mare Alzora ($17) out to improve on an unplaced Adelaide run last start.

For full WJ McKell Cup 2014 fixed win odds see below then to back your favourites and access other markets visit Ladbrokes.com.au where your winnings are available to you in cash from any ATM in Australia thanks to their unique EFTPOS card system.