2018 Hobart Cup Field & Betting: Andrea Mantegna Favourite

The Darren Weir-trained Andrea Mantegna has opened narrow favourite in the Hobart Cup 2018 betting markets for Sunday’s summer showdown.

Smart Adelaide-trained mare Pretty Punk is one of the best in Hobart Cup 2018 betting this Sunday in Tasmanian. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

A key feature on the Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival program, this weekend’s Group 3 $250,000 Hobart Cup (2400m) attracted a final field of 11 hopefuls.

In a wide open Hobart Cup betting market at Ladbrokes.com.au five of the runners are under $10 for the win including current top fancy, Weir’s imported Giant’s Causeway entire Andrea Mantegna.

The chestnut five-year-old has winning form over the distance overseas back in June of 2016 and finally stretches back out to the mile and a half for the first time since.

Paying $4 to retain his perfect 2400m record, Andrea Mantegna gets in on the 54kg minimum and will relish coming back four kilos from the 58kg he carted to a runaway five and a quarter-length win at Morphettville Parks over 2250m last start.

Damian Lane comes aboard for the weekend’s assignment where the favourite is drawn a treat in barrier four where Andrea Mantegna will look to charge home again in the same fashion he did in Adelaide.

Close second favourite at $4.80 and firming in the Hobart Cup odds is the big market mover backed in from $7, the local Barry Campbell-trained Eastender.

A four-year-old son of Tickets, the consistent galloper has won two of his latest three starts and is also a black-type winner over 2400m from May last year.

He was last seen saluting at the Hobart track on January 12 in the Brighton Cup (2100m) with Craig Newitt aboard the odds-on favourite.

Newitt has partnered the gelding in his latest four starts and retains the ride in the Hobart Cup field where a freshened-up Eastender carries 54kg from gate six looking to continue his good form.

Two other hopefuls share $5 third favouritism in Hobart Cup markets this summer with the 59kg top-weight Dee I Cee and Pretty Punk in gate 10.

Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott saddle-up Istidaad six-year-old Dee I Cee on Sunday, the galloper last seen running a devastatingly close second in the Listed Australia Day Cup (2400m) at Warwick Farm on January 26.

This looks tougher, especially as the horse goes up from 55.5kg and chases a maiden win over further than 2040m, but the bookies are taking no chances with the tough galloper.

Pretty Punk is the only other runner weighted above the minimum, the Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas-trained Rebel Raider mare carrying 55.5kg.

Bred to stay, the four-year-old enjoyed back-to-back wins earlier in the summer before her last start fourth to Night’s Watch over 2000m at Caulfield on January 27.

The step-up in distance will fitter Pretty Punk here as she reaches peak fitness and gets out further than 2000m for the first time since last winter when she won over 2500m at home at Morphettville.

Rounding out the single-figure Hobart Cup horses at $8.50 is Fastnet Dragon, the Charlie Goggin & Luella Meaburn-trained seven-year-old dropping right back in weight after carrying 59kg to a weight-for-age win at the track on January 28 in the Summer Cup (2200m).

Check out the full Hobart Cup 2018 field, barriers and latest odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au below.