Stampede Leads 2017 Premier’s Cup Field & Betting

The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Sydney galloper Stampede is well-fancied to continue his successful Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival raid sitting top of the Premier’s Cup 2017 betting markets for Eagle Farm this weekend.

Jumbo Prince is one of the single-figure stayers in the 2017 Premier’s Cup betting markets for Brisbane this weekend. Photo: Daniel Costello.

Fifteen stayers potentially heading towards the 2017 Brisbane Cup over the mile and a half on Stradbroke Handicap Day are engaged for Saturday’s $125,000 Group 3 Channel Seven Premier’s Cup (2200m).

The handicap clash is set to run as Eagle Farm Race 4 at 1:57pm (AEST) on Kingsford-Smith Cup Day and the latest Premier’s Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Stampede as the clear $3 favourite.

The four-year-old High Chaparral stallion won the Listed Wagga Cup (2000m) two back before travelling to Doomben on May 13 to win the Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) by a length.

He goes up a kilo to 57kg for this weekend, but is drawn well in barrier two with Kerrin McEvoy retaining the ride.

A further four winter stayers sit under double-figures in the Premier’s Cup betting markets including The Chairman ($5) drawn wide but coming off a string of minor placings.

Jumping from barrier 12 with Brenton Avdulla in the saddle again, the Mick Price-trained Victorian raider is out to go one better than his Chairman’s Handicap second a fortnight ago.

He’s yet to win over further than 1800m but has been racing in ultra-consistent form and gets in on the 54kg minimum on Saturday chasing a maiden black-type win.

Following closely at $6 is then the New Zealand-trained Chocante for Cambridge horseman Stephen Marsh, the four-year-old son of Shocking coming off a third in the Chairman’s Handicap.

That is the form line the bookmakers are tipping to stack-up in the Premier’s Cup this weekend and Chocante was impressive in his placing at his maiden run down under.

Bred to go the distance, the gelding has Group 2 winning form over 2100m back home in New Zealand and should enjoy getting out to 2200m on the weekend from barrier seven on 54kg with Queenslander Jim Byrne aboard.

Rounding out the single-figure stayers are early Darren Weir-trained market mover Neverland ($9 into $7.50) with the outside barrier to overcome as the mare drops back from 59.5kg to 54kg and Michael Nolan’s recent Weetwood Handicap winner Jumbo Prince ($9.50).

Of the longer priced fancies those with genuine claims at an upset Premier’s Cup result include the 59kg top weight Benzini ($14) who won last year’s Brisbane Cup and Kiwi raider Zambezi Warrior ($12) coming off a Chairman’s Handicap fourth.

Check out the full Premier’s Cup 2017 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and latest Fixed Win betting odds below – pricing open now at Ladbrokes.com.au.