The winter sprinters facing off in the Moreton Cup 2017 shapes up as one of the highlights on the Queensland Oaks Day card in Brisbane on Saturday, betting tips and the latest odds on the event now running at Doomben Racecourse found below.

There are 13 remaining runners in this year’s $175,000 Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m) with markets at Ladbrokes.com.au on the handicap clash led by Deploy ($5) despite a wide draw.

Gerald Ryan’s Fastnet Rock four-year-old won four on the trot in summer before a good first-up second in the Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m) on May 13 and should be improving second-up on Saturday.

The dangers looking at the latest Moreton Cup odds are Toby Edmonds’ last start Chief De Beers winner at the track The Virginian ($5.50), Team Snowden’s gun colt Attention ($6.50) drawn a treat in barrier four and the market mover Dothraki ($7) giving the weight away with 59kg.

So will Deploy overcome the wide alley and salute or is there value further down the Moreton Cup betting markets this season from the likes of Splurge ($8) who will appreciate firmer ground after his unplaced run in the mud in the BRC Sprint behind Jungle Edge or last year’s runner-up Federal ($14)?

1^st

#8 The Virginian ($5.50)

Getting in on 54.5kg, this well-bred Hinchinbrook four-year-old only goes up a half-kilo from the weight he carried to victory here a fortnight back in the Listed Chief De Beers (1050m) in the wet. He’s also got plenty of form on Good going so is versatile and will be fitter for the run. Was third in last year’s Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) as a $81 roughie so the 1200m is a non-issue and with Jim Byrne staying on from a gun barrier (3) he looks hard to hold out.

2^nd

#7 Siegfried ($12)

Excellent double-figure odds on offer for Edmonds’ other runner in the race, Siegfried having finished top four in his eight latest starts. This Jet Spur six-year-old is flying and he’s a genuine Doomben track specialist (11-4-2-1) so the move of course suits. The distance is short of his preferred and his last run was a second in the Prime Minister’s Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast, but he is well-weighted (55kg) and has Jeff Lloyd riding. Only needs luck from the outside alley to finish in the money again.

3^rd

#11 Attention ($6.50)

Classy Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Stratum three-year-old second-up after the luckless run out wide for fourth in the Gold Coast Guineas last time out. Has been freshened-up since and won a subsequent trial on May 23 to bring him on fitness-wise. Good second-up record (2-1-1-0) and has winning form at Doomben from last winter winning the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce (1350m) here on the back of a Group 2 second behind Winning Rupert at big odds over 1200m.

Back our insider Moreton Cup 2017 tips now at the right price through Ladbrokes.com.au – home of all the top Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival odds and offers.