Winx Features in 2017 Australian Cup First Acceptances

February 22, 2017

Winx Features in 2017 Australian Cup First Acceptances

Australian Cup 2017 first acceptances for the Flemington Super Saturday showdown on March 11 closed this week with superstar mare Winx still in the mix despite being an unlikely final acceptor.

Winx

Headline 2017 Australian Cup first acceptor Winx is unlikely to run in the final field at Flemington on March 11. Photo: Steve Hart.

On Tuesday Racing Victoria took first declarations for the Australian Guineas 2017 on March 4 as well as the $1.25 million Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and $1.5 million Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) the following weekend.

Down from 61 nominations, the Australian Cup first acceptances attracted 27 hopefuls for the weight-for-age Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival feature.

Three hail from the star Sydney stables of Chris Waller who won the race last season with Preferment (2016).

Winx is the headliner, but is more likely to stay in Sydney for the $1 million Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens the following weekend on Golden Slipper Stakes Day.

She will then be stepped up to the 2000m on April 8 at Royal Randwick during The Championships for her final run of the season in the $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2017.

Waller’s other hopefuls are the reigning Australian Cup winner Preferment and the in-form import Endless Drama who faces Winx in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) this Saturday after a first-up third to her in the Apollo Stakes.

Zabeel stallion Preferment also resumed in the Apollo Stakes on February 13 running sixth and currently pays $21 in futures Australian Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au to go back-to-back in the race for the first time since Vo Rogue (1989-1990).

Vo Rogue (1989-1990) was the last back-to-back Australian Cup winner

Outside of Winx ($3.20) the other best in all-in Australian Cup betting is the Ciaron Maher-trained Caulfield Cup winner Jameka ($4.20).

The Myboycharlie four-year-old mare returned to racing this season with a brave and fast-finishing fourth beaten only one and a half-lengths by Black Heart Bart in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m).

She races again this weekend in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) and will be at her peak third-up in the Australian Cup field over 2000m.

The last mare to win the Australian Cup however was the mighty Makybe Diva (2005) giving Jameka a notable hoodoo to overcome.

The other remaining mares in the mix for 2017 are the Darren Weir-trained Real Love and the Michael Kent-trained Schweppes Oaks winner Abbey Marie.

Hartnell is another unlikely Australian Cup final acceptor still officially in the mix for trainer John O’Shea, the Godolphin stable also paying up for dual Group 1 placegetter Tully.

Other top fancies in pre-field Australian Cup odds post-first acceptances include Weir’s improving Teofilo four-year-old Humidor and the Robert Hickmott-trained Ranvet Stakes winning stallion The United States.

Check out the full Australian Cup 2017 first declarations below before head to Ladbrokes.com.au for the updated markets on all upcoming Group 1 autumn races.

2017 Australian Cup First Acceptances & Ballot

Flemington Racecourse – 11/03/2017

# Form (Last 10) Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight Hcp. Rating
1 111x1111x1 WINX M 5 Chris Waller 1 57kg 132
2 4x471210x4 JAMEKA M 4 Ciaron Maher 2 57kg 119
3 110x4540x6 PREFERMENT (NZ) H 5 Chris Waller 3 59kg 116
4 5x211123x2 HARTNELL (GB) G 6 John O’Shea 4 59kg 124
5 033×850211 STRATUM STAR H 5 Darren Weir 5 59kg 116
6 0x015551x7 AWESOME ROCK H 5 Leon & Troy Corstens 6 59kg 117
7 5212x6145x THE UNITED STATES (IRE) H 7 Robert Hickmott 7 59kg 117
8 4160x88x72 TURN ME LOOSE (NZ) H 5 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman 8 59kg 118
9 4x27156x55 REAL LOVE M 6 Darren Weir 9 57kg 110
10 610x703x80 MOURINHO G 9 Peter Gelagotis 10 59kg 111
11 65x808462x ALMOONQITH (USA) H 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 11 59kg 113
12 706116×113 ECUADOR (NZ) G 7 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 12 59kg 115
13 211x1110x8 HE’S OUR ROKKII (NZ) G 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 13 59kg 112
14 13x183538x EXOSPHERIC (GB) H 5 Lee & Anthony Freedman 14 59kg 117
15 6x454282x0 SEABURGE C 3 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 15 54.5kg 115
16 13x02303x3 TALLY G 4 John O’Shea 16 59kg 111
17 1153x9210x ASSIGN (IRE) G 6 Robert Hickmott 17 59kg 104
18 x2252911x9 PILOTE D’ESSAI (GB) G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 18 59kg 105
19 0x266223x6 TOM MELBOURNE (IRE) G 6 Lee & Anthony Freedman 19 59kg 107
20 111×8 ABBEY MARIE M 4 Michael Kent 20 57kg 108
21 12x1x7x39x ALOFT (IRE) G 5 Robert Hickmott 21 59kg 94
22 9x44x31115 BOOM TIME H 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 22 59kg 98
23 2x3915x0x3 ENDLESS DRAMA (IRE) H 5 Chris Waller 23 59kg 116
24 2117x8x00x HANS HOLBEIN (GB) G 5 Robert Hickmott 24 59kg 88
25 145x52482x VENGEUR MASQUE (IRE) G 5 Michael Moroney 25 59kg 100
26 1x31129x42 HUMIDOR (NZ) G 4 Darren Weir 26 59kg 113
27 0x42x513x4 OUR CENTURY (IRE) G 6 Robert Hickmott 27 59kg 99

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