Today the list of horses vying for a spot in the 2011 Australian Cup field was cut from 63 at nomination stage to 35 with the release of the Australian Cup First Declarations.
The $1 million Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) is one of the two headline races at Flemington’s Super Saturday of Racing on March 12.
Three horses are currently battling for favouritism in the Australian Cup odds at Luxbet with Heart Of Dreams, Shocking and Zipping the early picks to win.
Defending Australian Cup champion Zipping
Zipping resumed for the season with a first-up 10th behind the since-retired Typhoon Tracy in the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 12, the Danehill stayer unsuited to the shorter distance.
Previous Melbourne Cup winner Shocking also ran in the CF Orr last weekend.
The Mark Kavanagh-trained Street Cry five-year-old crossed in 11th place but ran one of the fastest final 600m sectionals in an ideal Australian Cup trial.
Heart Of Dreams produced the eye-catching run of the race in the CF Orr, Mick Price’s improving son of Show A Heart coming from well back to put a late challenge on Typhoon Tracy and go down by just a short-head to the mare on the line.
The 2011 Dubai Australian Cup has a field limit of 18 starters and other early favourites in the market guaranteed of a start include:
- New Zealand galloper Wall Street (4th) who won the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington during the spring
- Fellow Kiwi stayer Ginga Dude (8th) another strong performer in Australia last season
- Bart Cummings’ Zabeel gelding Precedence (9th) a multiple Group winner who ran 14th in the CF Orr also needing more distance
- Last year’s Caulfield Guineas winner Anacheeva (11th) also heading towards a start in the 2011 Australian Guineas the week before the Australian Cup
- Group 1 placegetter Alcopop (16th)
- Ciaron Maher’s Belvic five-year-old Moudre (17th) a proven stayer well-suited to the distance and conditions of the Australian Cup
- Zipping’s younger stablemate Linton (18th), ninth first-up in the CF Orr
One promising Australian Cup hopeful that still needs to secure a spot in the field is Cedarberg sitting 26th on the order of entry.
Pat Carey’s promising four-year-old Cedarberg will attempt to earn an Australian Cup start when they line up in the $300,000 Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) tomorrow.
Cedarberg is the clear $3.30 favourite in the Mornington Cup odds at Luxbet.
Notable defectors that were not accepted for the Australian Cup at first declaration stage today include Whobegotyou, Vigor and Once Were Wild.
The 2011 Australian Cup final field of acceptors will be released on Wednesday March 9 and published first here at Races.com.au so bookmark this site.
While Australian Cup betting has been briefly suspended, Luxbet is due to reopen their markets shortly so take the time now to open your online account with Luxbet for access to the best Australian Cup odds.
2011 Dubai Australian Cup First Declarations
| # | Horse | Trainer | Ballot | Weight (kg) | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ZIPPING | Robert Hickmott | 1 | 59 | 119 |
| 2 | SHOCKING | Mark Kavanagh | 2 | 59 | 118 |
| 3 | HEART OF DREAMS | Mick Price | 3 | 59 | 113 |
| 4 | WALL STREET (NZ) | Jeff Lynds | 4 | 59 | 113 |
| 5 | SCENIC SHOT | Daniel Morton | 5 | 59 | 112 |
| 6 | HARRIS TWEED (NZ) | Murray & Bjorn Baker | 6 | 59 | 112 |
| 7 | GINGA DUDE (NZ) | Graeme Boyd | 8 | 59 | 109 |
| 8 | PRECEDENCE (NZ) | Bart Cummings | 9 | 59 | 108 |
| 9 | BOOMING (NZ) | Jeff Lynds | 10 | 59 | 108 |
| 10 | TRUSTING | John P Thompson | 13 | 59 | 107 |
| 11 | C’EST LA GUERRE (NZ) | Robert Hickmott | 15 | 59 | 106 |
| 12 | ALCOPOP | Jake Stephens | 16 | 59 | 106 |
| 13 | MOUDRE | Ciaron Maher | 17 | 59 | 106 |
| 14 | LINTON | Robert Hickmott | 18 | 59 | 105 |
| 15 | LORNE DANCER | Gai Waterhouse | 19 | 59 | 105 |
| 16 | MOURAYAN (IRE) | Robert Hickmott | 20 | 59 | 104 |
| 17 | SPACECRAFT | Mick Price | 21 | 59 | 104 |
| 18 | LORD PYRUS (NZ) | Judy Mawer | 23 | 59 | 100 |
| 19 | EXTRA ZERO | David Hayes | 24 | 59 | 97 |
| 20 | MY BENTLEY (NZ) | Michael Kent | 25 | 59 | 97 |
| 21 | CEDARBERG | Pat Carey | 26 | 59 | 95 |
| 22 | WIND SHEAR | Dale Sutton | 27 | 59 | 94 |
| 23 | KUTCHINSKY | Tony Noonan | 28 | 59 | 94 |
| 24 | HANKS | Peter G Moody | 29 | 59 | 93 |
| 25 | MR CHARLIE (NZ) | Peter G Moody | 30 | 59 | 92 |
| 26 | SCOTTISH BORDER | Garry Frazer | 33 | 59 | 87 |
| 27 | ZEVADA (NZ) | Tony Noonan | 35 | 59 | 75 |
| 28 | REBEL SOLDIER (IRE) | David Hayes | 22 | 58.5 | 102 |
| 29 | LARISTAN (FR) | David Hayes | 32 | 58.5 | 89 |
| 30 | PURPLE | Peter Snowden | 12 | 57 | 107 |
| 31 | FAINT PERFUME | Bart Cummings | 14 | 57 | 106 |
| 32 | MISS DARCEY | Anthony Cummings | 31 | 57 | 89 |
| 33 | PLAYING GOD | Neville Parnham | 7 | 54.5 | 110 |
| 34 | ANACHEEVA | Peter G Moody | 11 | 54.5 | 108 |
| 35 | ECLAIR SURPRISE | Peter G Moody | 34 | 54.5 | 82 |
Photo courtesy (c) Taron Clarke Photography
