The first elite level race of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival takes place at Doomben Racecourse this Saturday with the BTC Cup 2016, betting tips and the latest odds for the sprint feature found below.

Japonoisme is the favourite and Races.com.au tip to win the 2016 BTC Cup in Brisbane on Saturday for Chris Waller. Photo: Steve Hart.

A field of 14 runners will take to the track in Doomben Race 7 at 4:06pm (AEST) for the $500,000 Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m), betting at Ladbrokes.com.au on the weight-for-age classic led by Chris Waller’s gun three-year-old Japonisme.

He is drawn a treat in gate three, is a former Group 1 winner over the distance in Melbourne and comes off winning form in good company in Sydney.

The money is also coming for Japonisme in the BTC Cup betting markets with the son of Choisir firming in from $4.40 to $4 to salute for the punters for the first time since Black Caviar (2011) won as the odds-on favourite five years ago.

The other top fancies in the BTC Cup odds this season are Victory Stakes winner Fell Swoop ($4.60), 2016 Stradbroke Handicap hopeful from Sydney Malaguerra ($6.50), Artlee ($8.50) and Waller’s fellow three-year-old Counterattack ($9).

So can Japonisme get the job done off top interstate lead-up form or is there an upset BTC Cup result on the bill this weekend from the likes of the rails-drawn Dothraki ($13)?

1^st

#11 Japonisme ($11)

The firming favourite for Sydney’s premier stable is hard to go past. The spring’s Coolmore Stud Stakes winner has been up against the best sprinters this time in and holding his own. The Arrowfield Sprint win last time out was good and he’s won a subsequent trial. Is a three-time winner and three-time placegetter over the 1200m, will get the run of the race from barrier three and looks the one to beat.

2^nd

#4 Dothraki ($13)

For value in the BTC Cup quinella the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Dothraki looks a top Place bet. The Mossman five-year-old is drawn the inside alley, and he has plenty of form over the distance (14-3-3-5). Third in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) two back before a credible fifth in the TJ Smith Stakes in Sydney. Saluted by 2.5 lengths in a Warwick Farm trial after that, is consistent, Blake Shinn knows the horse well and the stable won last year’s BTC Cup in an upset with Hot Snitzel ($25).

3^rd

#2 Fell Swoop ($4.60)

Victory Stakes winner shooting for back-to-back wins at the track / distance. Before the Brisbane win on April 30 this super-consistent Not A Single Doubt four-year-old from the Canberra stables of Matthew Dale caught the eye with a second to Chautauqua in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m). Was also runner-up in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) in Melbourne this campaign so is racing very well. Loves the 1200m with four wins and a second from five starts over the distance, and only needs to beat the barrier (10) to win.

Back our exclusive BTC Cup 2016 tips at the right price online now at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost!