Qewy Tops 2017 Queen Elizabeth Stakes Field & Betting

After UK connections at Godolphin opted not to accept into the Melbourne Cup field with Bendigo Cup winner Qewy, the Charlie Appleby-trained raider is firming favourite in Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2017 betting to win a consolation prize at Flemington this Saturday.

UK visitor Qewy is firm favourite to continue his successful raid down under in Saturday’s 2017 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

A key support act on the Emirates Stakes Day card, the Group 3 $300,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) has attracted a class field of stayers.

The line-up is down to ten starters however after the early withdrawal of the Robert Hickmott-trained Assign (10), meaning Qewy will jump from the outside barrier carrying the 59kg top weight.

Kerrin McEvoy continues his successful association on the Street Cry eight-year-old who has won three of his four starts in Australia.

Last spring Qewy won the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) and the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) with a brave fourth to Almandin in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in between.

He kicked off his spring prep back in Australia on November 1 with a win under 59kg in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) but bypassed a second shot at the ‘Race That Stops The Nation’.

Instead Godolphin saved the proven stayer for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes race on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and the latest markets at Ladbrokes.com.au have Qewy as the $3.60 top fancy.

The dangers following closely in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds are the Darren Weir-trained stablemates Gallic Chieftain ($4.20) and Kiwia ($4.50) drawn in barriers seven and four respectively.

Gallic Chieftain carries the 54kg minimum, coming back a kilo from the 55kg he had on his back for the devastatingly close second to Vengeur Masque in this year’s Geelong Cup last time out.

The French-bred Tamayuz entire also ran well two back at Caulfield when third in the Group 2 Ladbrokes Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) and looks a genuine chance to post his first win since Rosehill’s Listed Winter Cup (2400m) back in July.

Weir’s other in-form stayer in the mix, Kiwia is a progressive four-year-old son of Reset who won the Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) two back on Caulfield Cup Day.

Damian Lane, also on this Saturday, retained the ride in the Bendigo Cup when the horse just failed to hold off Qewy running second.

Qewy gave Kiwia three kilos that day and this weekend in the rematch the latter is even better weighted with an extra one kilo advantage working in his favour.

The other top fancies under $10 for the lucrative Group 3 win are Wheal Leisure ($8.50) and Vengeur Masque ($9).

The Archie Alexander-trained Artie Schiller mare Wheal Leisure won back-to-back races before a last start fifth in the Geelong Cup.

The four-year-old was impressive on October 1 saluting in the Inglis Cup (2000m) by nearly two lengths with Dean Yendall aboard, the hoop also in the saddle for the Geelong Cup when Weal Leisure was beaten just over a length.

Geelong Cup winning Monson six-year-old Vengeur Masque is out to return to winning form after just missing out on the Melbourne Cup ballot exemption when second to Cismontane in the Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m) on Derby Day.

Check out the full VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2017 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and Emirates Stakes Day odds provided by Ladbrokes.com.au below.