The feature race on the Wednesday programme is the $300,000 Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) running as Race 8 at Mornington this afternoon and here the Races.com.au team provides punters with the winning 2011 Mornington Cup betting tips.
Today’s Mornington Cup is shaping up as a red hot contest with a ballot exemption into the 2011 Caulfield Cup on offer for the winner.
An eleven-horse final field of quality stayers make up the Mornington Cup field after the early scratching of #10 Vesper and #12 Tarawera.
Cedarberg is the favourite with punters for the 2011 Mornington Cup
Cedarberg has continued to firm in the Mornington Cup betting with punters backing them right in from their opening quote of $3.30.
Last start Cedarberg scored a tidy two length victory in the New Saturday Age Cup (1800m) at Sandown on February 9.
The Group placed four-year-old is tipped for a big autumn campaign including a tilt at the $1 million Australian Cup at Flemington on March 12.
A specialist at the Mornington Cup 2400m distance, Cedarberg’s most impressive effort of late was his close second behind Linton in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield on October 9 where the gelding defeated big names Precedence and Moudre.
However, with Cedarberg set to carry 57kg today and a highly competitive field of rivals keen to cause an upset the Races.com.au team think there is more value in laying the favourite in the Mornington Cup today.
2011 Mornington Cup Tips – Mornington Race 7 Betting
- Races.com.au Favourite: #11 Shewan – Rated Special to Win – Bet now at Luxbet
- Best Place / Exotic Bets: #3 Cedarberg, #1 Macedonian and #7 Celtic Fantasy
Among the contenders Cedarberg faces today are Sandown Cup winner Macedonian, Ballarat Cup champ My Bentley, Perth stayer Guyno and the Robert Smerdon-trained Shewan.
Of the Mornington Cup hopefuls we are tipping $6.50 chance Shewan to step up to Group company for the first time and claim an upset win.
The promising four-year-old has an impressive recent record including their last-start victory over 2100m at Sandown Lakeside.
A born stayer by sire Blevic, although Shewan is running over 2400m for the first time today we are backing them to rise to the occasion with a good barrier four draw, champion hoop Glen Boss in the mount and nice 54kg light-weight.
Cedarberg cannot be ignored and will run a gallant second.
To finish off the winning Mornington Cup Trifecta we fancy #1 Macedonian.
Currently paying $7 to win through Luxbet, Peter Moody’s well-bred Zabeel five-year-old Macedonian claimed an easy 2 ½ length victory in the Sandown Cup (3200m) on November 13.
Despite resuming with a first up ninth in the Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) on January 1 at Flemington, we think they will improve second-up for the season and with the drop back in distance and weight today.
Our favourite roughie in the Mornington Cup markets to add into your First Four wagers or to box in a Trifecta is #7 Celtic Fantasy.
Due to be ridden by in-form hoop Craig Williams, Celtic Fantasy ($19) is a consistent Kiwi stayer having their debut run on Australian turf today and their form over the Tasman piques our interest in them here.
The 2011 IASBet.Com Mornington Cup is set to run as Race 8 at 4:00pm (AEDST).
Get in on the action at Luxbet now and you could be backing the future 2011 Caulfield Cup winner!
2011 Mornington Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight (kg) | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MACEDONIAN (NZ) | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 3 | 57.5 | 97 |
| 2 | MY BENTLEY (NZ) | Michael Kent | Brad Rawiller | 1 | 57.5 | 97 |
| 3 | CEDARBERG | Pat Carey | Michael Walker | 6 | 57 | 95 |
| 4 | GUYNO (NZ) | Lou Luciani | Jason Whiting | 7 | 56.5 | 94 |
| 5 | STARMON (NZ) | Michael Kent | James Winks | 13 | 54 | 87 |
| 6 | CABEZA (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Jason Maskiell (a) | 2 | 54 | 85 |
| 7 | CELTIC FANTASY | Craig Ritchie | Craig Williams | 9 | 54 | 82 |
| 8 | SUMMARISE | Stephen Theodore | Damien Oliver | 11 | 54 | 80 |
| 9 | GOLAGO | John Honeysett | Ben Knobel (a) | 10 | 54 | 78 |
| 10 | VESPER | Robert Hickmott | Nicholas Hall | 12 | 54 | 77 |
| 11 | SHEWAN | Robert Smerdon | Glen Boss | 4 | 54 | 72 |
| 12 | TARAWERA | Fran Houlahan & Brian Johnston | Craig Newitt | 8 | 54 | 67 |
| 13 | NAZABEEL (NZ) | Shaun Dwyer | Michael Rodd | 5 | 54 | 61 |
Photo courtesy (c) Taron Clarke Photography
