Godolphin galloper Avilius is tipped to improve on an unplaced run in the race last year leading all-in 2020 Australian Cup betting following this week’s nominations on the Super Saturday feature.
Avilius is early favourite to win the 2020 Australian Cup on Super Saturday at Flemington. Photo: Steve Hart.
Flemington’s Super Saturday runs on March 8 and is host to both the Group 1 $1.25 million Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and Group 1 $1.5 million Australian Cup (2000m).
Early Australian Cup 2020 nominations attracted 67 weight-for-age hopefuls with updated markets at Ladbrokes.com.au posting the James Cummings-trained Avilius as the $9 favourite.
Avilius ran fifth to the Lindsay Park-trained Harlem who successfully defended his title in the 2019 edition of the race.
In a blanket finish, under a length and a half separated first and fifth in the Australian Cup results and Avilius lost few admirers going down as the beaten odds-on favourite.
He quickly atoned in Sydney taking out the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) – Tancred Stakes (2400m) double by a combined 4.6 lengths in the wet.
Pivotal six-year-old Avilius had a subsequent five runs in the spring including a Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) win at Randwick and is now looking to extend his elite level tally in Melbourne over the autumn.
It is shaping-up as a thrilling edition of the Australian Cup in 2020 with the dual defending champion Harlem also among the entries as a $41 roughie to enjoy a hattrick of wins for the first time in history.
Second favourite in the all-in Australian Cup odds at $12 is the Danny O’Brien-trained Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare.
The Declaration of War four-year-old made history as the first Australian-bred Melbourne Cup winner since Shocking (2009) when improving on a Caulfield Cup second to win the world’s richest handicap at Flemington over the two miles last November.
O’Brien is now weighing up autumn options for his $5.7 million earner including nominating Vow And Declare for an Australian Cup bid ahead of Sydney’s $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 11.
“There’s some chance he could run in the Australian Cup. My original plan was to run him first-up in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick, but I’m really pleased with him and he could have a start before that,” O’Brien told the Herald Sun.
“I’ll just see how he’s going and make a decision down the track.”
Other notable Australian Cup nominees this Melbourne Festival of Racing include Vow And Declare’s VRC Oaks winning stablemate Miami Bound, Victoria Derby champ Warning and Toorak Handicap – Cantala Stakes double winner Fierce Impact.
Australian Cup 2020 first acceptances close on February 18 with the latest odds on the race available here courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2020 Australian Cup Nominations
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 71115x | ACTING (NZ) | F | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 2 | 512×72 | ANTAGONISER | C | 3 | Mark Kavanagh |
| 3 | 306x75720x | ARISTIA | M | 4 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra |
| 4 | 45x143276x | ATTENTION RUN (GER) | M | 5 | Kris Lees |
| 5 | 511x42147x | AVILIUS (GB) | G | 6 | James Cummings |
| 6 | x41x33240x | BEAU BALMAIN (GER) | G | 5 | Jim Conlan |
| 7 | 69x37112x | BLANDFORD LAD (NZ) | G | 4 | Peter Gelagotis |
| 8 | 14083x100x | CAPE OF GOOD HOPE (IRE) | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 9 | 6x3206620x | CLIFF’S EDGE | H | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 10 | x14236421x | CONQUEROR | C | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 11 | 1x2122240x | CONSTANTINOPLE (IRE) | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 12 | 4x13141x0x | DANCETERIA (FR) | G | 5 | Kris Lees |
| 13 | 5237x5955x | DANZDANZDANCE | M | 5 | Chris Waller |
| 14 | 1x114x870x | DEBT AGENT (NZ) | G | 7 | Jim Conlan |
| 15 | 212182115x | DR DRILL (GB) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 16 | 55521850×6 | DUCA VALENTINOIS (IRE) | G | 8 | James Cummings |
| 17 | x6720x211x | FIERCE IMPACT (JPN) | H | 6 | Matthew Smith |
| 18 | 0x6768256x | FIFTY STARS (IRE) | H | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 19 | 16x042874x | GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) | H | 7 | Archie Alexander |
| 20 | 009x02514x | GREYSFUL GLAMOUR | M | 4 | Mark Newnham |
| 21 | 4x1333x | GROUNDSWELL | C | 3 | Anthony Freedman |
| 22 | 19x006380x | HARLEM (GB) | G | 8 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 23 | 113x | HEART OF PUISSANCE | C | 3 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 24 | 2172x1260x | HOMESMAN (USA) | G | 6 | Anthony Freedman |
| 25 | x16621816x | HUSH WRITER (JPN) | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 26 | 771471108x | INVERLOCH (IRE) | G | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 27 | 14x000x846 | JACK REGAN (GB) | G | 5 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 28 | 36Px58166x | KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) | G | 6 | Chris Waller |
| 29 | 112x4501x | KUBRICK | C | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 30 | 1x50211x8x | LEVENDI | H | 5 | Peter Gelagotis |
| 31 | 0x3246077x | MASK OF TIME (IRE) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 32 | x322x2311x | MASTER OF WINE (GER) | G | 5 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
| 33 | 3x113411x | MIAMI BOUND (NZ) | F | 3 | Danny O’Brien |
| 34 | 0x1322x30x | MIRAGE DANCER (GB) | H | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 35 | 47x278822x | MISS SISKA | M | 6 | Grahame Begg |
| 36 | 71x3x156x | MUGATOO (IRE) | G | 5 | Kris Lees |
| 37 | 430x22501x | MUSHAIREB (GB) | G | 6 | Richard & Michael Freedman |
| 38 | 1x7235160x | MUSTAJEER (GB) | G | 7 | Kris Lees |
| 39 | 0x8070903x | NEUFBOSC (FR) | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 40 | 000x59260x | NIGHT’S WATCH (NZ) | G | 6 | Chris Waller |
| 41 | 54424×5214 | ODEON (NZ) | G | 6 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra |
| 42 | 4x3512113x | OUR CANDIDATE (IRE) | H | 5 | Kris Lees |
| 43 | 138x11230x | PLATOON | G | 4 | Neville Parnham |
| 44 | x44x23960x | RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE) | G | 6 | Kris Lees |
| 45 | x1170x540x | RED CARDINAL (IRE) | G | 8 | Kris Lees |
| 46 | 1211x2161x | REGAL POWER | G | 4 | Grant & Alana Williams |
| 47 | 123x | RELOADED | C | 3 | Chris Waller |
| 48 | 31x2206x83 | RISING RED (NZ) | G | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 49 | 2211x | SAVVY LAD (NZ) | G | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 50 | 214x3115x | SHADOW HERO | G | 3 | Mark Newnham |
| 51 | 611x111x | SHARED AMBITION (IRE) | G | 4 | Chris Waller |
| 52 | 425×685113 | SKELM | G | 5 | Terry Kelly |
| 53 | 50x125040x | SO SI BON | G | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 54 | 048x07005x | SOUND (GER) | H | 7 | Michael Moroney |
| 55 | 326441301x | SOUTHERN FRANCE (IRE) | H | 5 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 56 | 899440490x | STARS OF CARRUM | G | 4 | Michael Kent |
| 57 | 113x1651x | SUPER SETH | C | 3 | Anthony Freedman |
| 58 | 01141x | THE HOLY ONE (NZ) | C | 3 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 59 | 7313027x | VEGAS KNIGHT | G | 3 | Colin Little |
| 60 | 903x71502x | VENGEUR MASQUE (IRE) | G | 8 | Michael Moroney |
| 61 | 10328x277x | VENICE BEACH (IRE) | H | 6 | Danny O’Brien |
| 62 | 2111x9410x | VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller |
| 63 | 36621x421x | VOW AND DECLARE | G | 4 | Danny O’Brien |
| 64 | 74x34121x | WARNING | G | 3 | Anthony Freedman |
| 65 | 1x1850x23x | YOGI (NZ) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 66 | 59x878730x | YOUNGSTAR | M | 5 | Chris Waller |
| 67 | 23111x7L0x | YOURDEEL (NZ) | G | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
