The two mile 2017 Queensland Cup takes place at the Sunshine Coast this Saturday, our insider betting tips and latest winter racing odds on the staying showdown detailed below.

After the early scratching of War Baby who ran in Thursday’s Grafton Cup, the field for this season’s $150,000 Listed Queensland Cup (3200m) is down to 15 hopefuls.

Four of those are currently under double-figures in the Queensland Cup odds online through Ladbrokes.com.au, the favourite of which is the Chris Waller-trained import Richard Of Yorke ($3.90).

Larry Cassidy rises the Oasis Dream five-year-old who won a mile and a half feature at Randwick in the wet back in April and was finished runner-up in the Stayers Cup (3200m) on a mud track to back on June 10.

Last start Richard Of Yorke finished dead last behind Collateral in a Benchmark 85 over 2400m at Randwick, but he is tipped to atone back up to the 3200m on Saturday getting in on the 54kg minimum.

The early market mover in Queensland Cup betting firming in from $4.80 to $4.20 meanwhile is My Diamantine with the outside alley.

Brisbane’s Brian Smith saddles-up the six-year-old mare who has been in steadily improving form this Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.

Two back she was a length beaten when fourth as a $21 roughie to Rudy in the Group 3 Tattersall’s Cup (2200m) at Doomben.

She then raced at the Sunshine Coast on July 1 and was second past the post at generous odds again behind Supply And Demand in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m).

The Caloundra Cup form was franked when the Gai Waterhouse-trained winner Supply And Demand backed-up and won the Grafton Cup this week.

My Diamantine though is up over more metres and looking to improve on her credible eighth in the Queensland Cup when the race ran at Eagle Farm last year.

The other single-figure fancies are Waller’s Dutch Art six-year-old Soviet Courage ($5) coming off a Winter Cup fourth at Rosehill under less kilos and the Michael Moroney-trained Araldo Junior ($7) jumping from barriers three and four respectively.

So will the top fancies salute or is there an upset Queensland Cup result pending this winter from the likes of Caloundra Cup fifth-placed Emerald City ($13) carrying the 58kg top weight or Pop ‘N’ Scotch ($12) who has run second in the past three editions of the race?

1^st

#4 My Diamantine ($4.20)

Former Kiwi galloper has a lengthy losing spell to break, her latest win being way back in November of 2015 back across the Tasman. Think this race could see mare finally break through down under following her nice lead-up winter form. Has been overs in betting and the Caloundra Cup second was brave. Does rise a half-kilo, but still well-weighted. Over the two miles the wide alley shouldn’t be an issue and she did finish top four in this race at Eagle Farm 12 months ago.

2^nd

#8 Paragon ($16)

Nice price on offer for the John Sargent-trained five-year-old who comes off back-to-back fourths in similar company. First was in the Ipswich Cup then the Caloundra Cup last time out as a $31 roughie. James Orman replaces Jim Byrne – on Soviet Courage on Saturday – in the saddle and is on 54kg again. Has been out over the distance once before in August last year and was super impressive winning over 3200m, albeit in far easier class, carrying 58.5kg for a runaway 7.3 length success. Doing enough to suggest a top three finish back over the two miles.

3^rd

#8 Pop ‘N’ Scotch ($12)

Hard to knock the history of this Liam Birchley-trained Husson gelding in this race. Has been second past the post in the past three editions of the Queensland Cup and this is his seventh two mile test. Latest over the metres was in NZ during the summer when eighth in the Wellington Cup, still only 3.3 lengths beaten. Ipswich Cup last time out and was well-beaten by Self Sense, but will appreciate the extra distance here and while Eagle Farm is a better track, can still be competitive at Caloundra this weekend.

Back our insider Queensland Cup 2017 betting tips now at the right Saturday racing odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.