2017 Australian Cup Hopes in TS Carlyon Cup Field

A number of stayers nominated for the Australian Cup 2017 in March on Super Saturday take to the Caulfield track in Melbourne this weekend facing off in the TS Carlyon Cup field.

Tally is a key 2017 Australian Cup nominated galloper running in the TS Carlyon Cup at Caulfield this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

One of the support acts on a bumper nine-race CF Orr Stakes Day card that kicks off Group 1 racing in 2017, this season’s $150,000 Group 3 TS Carlyon Cup (1600m) has attracted 11 hopefuls.

Due to run as Caulfield Race 8 at 4:45pm (AEDT), the mile showdown could prove a nice early lead-up to the $1.5 million Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) on March 11 at Flemington Racecourse.

Darren Weir dominates the TS Carlyon Cup field numbers-wise this autumn with four final acceptors led by Humidor ($4) and Burning Front ($4.20).

Damian Lane rides progressive Teofilo four-year-old Humidor second-up on Saturday following the galloper’s close fourth when under a length off the winner in the Listed Barton Stakes (1400m) at the track on January 26.

He gets the weight advantage in this week’s Group 3 coming back from 59.5kg to 57kg and is the shortest-priced of the Carlyon Cup hopes in the futures Australian Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Humidor is at $9 to hand Weir with his first Australian Cup success in markets led by unlikely final acceptor Winx ($3.50) who returns to racing in Sydney on Saturday in the Apollo Stakes.

Stablemate Burning Front comes into the TS Carlyon Cup in ace form chasing a third win on the trot after back-to-back January wins over 1600m and 1500m respectively.

The Primus six-year-old blitzed the VOBIS Gold Star at Moonee Valley last time out saluting as the odds-on favourite under a hefty 60kg for his 2.75 length win over Cosmic Lights.

He is not nominated for the Australian Cup, but is a livewire chance to snare a Group win this weekend.

Another key TS Carlyon Cup runner looking ahead to the 2017 Australian Cup is the returning Lee & Anthony Freedman-trained import Tom Melbourne.

The Dylan Thomas six-year-old pays $21 in futures Australian Cup betting and $9.50 to win first-up on the weekend.

A winner of five of his 14 starts to date, Tom Melbourne was consistent over the spring last year finishing second to Oceanographer in the Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m) and third to Francis Of Assisi in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) on Emirates Stakes Day.

There are also four $26 Australian Cup priced hopes in the TS Carlyon Cup this season including the Peter Gelagotis-trained veteran nine-year-old Mourinho who hasn’t won since the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) in September of 2015.

Former Perth Cup winning mare Real Love, Lindsay Park’s Ballarat Cup – Pakenham Cup double winner Pilote D’Essai and the John O’Shea-trained Tally are the other notable Australian Cup nominated runners in the Carlyon Cup.

Street Cry four-year-old Tally ran third in the Australian Derby over a mile and a half in Sydney last autumn and also placed third behind Hartnell in Flemington’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) over the spring.

He is first-up on the weekend having last been seen crossing third in the Lexus Stakes on Derby Day and will only improve the further in distance he gets out over this campaign.

Check out the full TS Carlyon Cup 2017 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au below – home of the best futures Group 1 racing odds and offers this autumn.