Trainer James Cummings and the powerhouse Godolphin stable are tipped to go back-to-back in the Civic Stakes 2020 with Home Of The Brave heading the field and betting markets for this Saturday’s feature race at Rosehill Gardens.

Home Of The Brave leads 2020 Civic Stakes betting in Sydney this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.

Last Sydney Winter Racing Carnival the Royal Blue brigade took out the Listed Civic Stakes (1350m) with Gaulois (2019).

This season the betting on the $150,000 middle-distance sprint at Ladbrokes.com.au has the 60.5kg top weight Home Of The Brave at the top of the markets paying $4 to handle the heavy kilos and salute.

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy comes aboard the veteran Starspangledbanner eight-year-old with Home Of The Brave drawn a treat in gate three.

The galloper was last seen running a close third only a quarter-length beaten at Flemington in the wet on May 23 in the Listed Straight Six (1200m) and with winning form up to 1400m should enjoy the extra distance this weekend.

It has been a long time between drinks for Home Of The Brave who hasn’t won a race since the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill in September of 2018, but he remains favourite to break the drought on Saturday.

Occupying the second line of Civic Stakes betting at $6.50 is the in-form Trumbull for Wyong trainer Kim Waugh.

Tommy Berry is booked to ride the Darci Brahma four-year-old who comes off a string of top four performances in Sydney, his last three at the Rosehill track.

The latest on June 13 saw the horse run second to True Detective over 1300m in a Benchmark 94 carrying 56.5kg and Trumbull comes back to 54kg this weekend as he goes up in class.

There are two other horses at single-figure Civic Stakes odds with the Hawkes Racing-trained Outrageous ($8) and one of the early market movers Crack Me Up ($10 into $8.50).

All Too Hard four-year-old Outrageous has been racing very well this prep without winning including his devastatingly close second on a Heavy (9) two back at Randwick in the Octagonal Handicap (1400m) on May 23.

He comes via the same Rosehill lead-up as Trumbull (2^nd) when fourth at the track on June 13 and also drops back from 55.5kg to 54kg in Saturday’s rematch with James Innes Jnr to ride.

Tim Clark rode Outrageous for his last two runs but partners rival Crack Me Up this weekend.

The Bjorn Baker-trained Mossman six-year-old carries 59kg, the former Group 2 winner looking for his first turf triumph since the Group 3 Liverpool Cup (1300m) back in March of 2018.

Crack Me Up may have a big weight to overcome having carried only 53kg last start, but the horse also drops back notably in grade following his second last (17^th) behind Tyzone in Brisbane’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at the start of the month.

Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller meanwhile remains in the mix with five runners after withdrawing his mare Sure Knee who runs in Brisbane’s Group 3 Sapphire Stakes at Doomben on Saturday instead.

The best fancied of the Waller contingent in the Civic Stakes field are the market mover Sambro ($18 into $11) who recently ran third in the Listed Scone Cup (1600m) and the 53kg light weight hope Toryjoy ($11).

Waller is after his third Civic Stakes success having prepared previous winners Little Surfer Girl (2011) and Liapari (2018).

Click here for the latest Civic Stakes 2020 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Civic Stakes Field & Barriers

*Table Credit: Racing Australia.