Runner-up in the 2013 Caulfield Cup, imported stayer Dandino has opened narrow favourite to win the Queen’s Cup 2015 at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday for this year’s Melbourne Cup winning trainer Darren Weir.
2013 Caulfield Cup runner-up Dandino is the early tip by the bookies to win the Queen’s Cup over 2600m on Emirates Stakes Day this weekend. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
The now nine-year-old Dansili stallion has had three unplaced runs at Flemington, but is considered a livewire chance to break his maiden status at the famous Victorian track in Saturday’s $300,000 Group 3 Queen’s Cup (2600m).
Previously run as the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, this year’s Queen’s Cup field attracted only eight original acceptors.
The small line-up is now down to just seven after the early scratching of Ed Dunlop’s British raider Manndawi who was last seen running third in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 21.
Another Geelong Cup placegetter accepted for Emirates Stakes Day Race 3 at 1:40pm (AEST) on Saturday afternoon is Weir’s veteran Dandino who was second past the post carrying 57.5kg.
Fourth the run before behind Preferment in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) beaten under a length, he goes up half a kilo from last start to the 58kg equal top weight this weekend with Ben Melham aboard from barrier four.
Currently Dandino sits top of the Queen’s Cup odds at $2.70 through Ladbrokes.com.au who are running their exclusive Best Tote or SP + 20% offer on every horse in every race across the full Flemington card on Saturday.
Hot on his heels is the narrow $2.75 second elect Secret Number drawn one wider in barrier five and also carrying 58kg with James McDonald booked to ride the UK galloper.
Prepared by Godolphin’s Saeed Bin Suroor, the Raven’s Pass six-year-old is yet to race in Australia having been balloted out of the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) last Tuesday that was subsequently won in an upset by Weir’s $101 roughie Prince Of Penzance.
His last start was in September winning a black-type over the mile and a half with the same weight he has on his back for his delayed debut down under.
Two other runners are also under $10 for the Queen’s Cup win this spring with the rails-drawn Beaten Up ($5) who is the third horse allocated 58kg and Bold Sniper ($9).
Glyn Schofield is back on board Chris Waller’s former Doomben Cup champ Beaten Up, the Beat Hollow eight-year-old second two back in Sydney’s Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m).
His last start was at Randwick in a Listed race over the same distance when fifth to Ruling Dynasty, and the Queen’s Cup is his first run at both the distance and at Flemington.
Just longer at $10 is the markets is the Gai Waterhouse-trained Bonfire getting in on 56.5kg, the Grafton Cup winner from the winter out to atone for a Geelong Cup 13th last time out.
Check out the full Queen’s Cup 2015 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and latest Fixed Win odds provided by Ladbrokes.com.au – the only bookie offering Best Tote or SP + 20% on all the Flemington races this Saturday!
