Steve Tregea’s in-form Toowoomba galloper Niccanova dominates early Eagle Farm Mile 2020 betting for one of the key support acts on the Dane Ripper Stakes Day card in Brisbane this weekend.

Military Zone is one of the top chances in the 2020 Eagle Farm Mile in Brisbane this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.

Saturday sees the COVID-19 affected Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival press on with another nine Eagle Farm races taking place, many out of their traditional slots and contested under different race conditions over varying distances for reduced prize money.

One of the meeting’s four scheduled Group status events is the Group 3 $125,000 Eagle Farm Mile (1600m) that has drawn a final field of 15 middle-distance hopefuls.

Sitting top of the Eagle Farm Mile odds at $3.20 through Ladbrokes.com.au despite a wider gate 12 draw, six-year-old Nicconi gelding Niccanova is out to add to his solid record at the Eagle Farm track (7:2-1-2).

Boasting a 50% winning strike rate from six previous runs at 1600m, the horse won at the track and distance last December carrying 59kg to victory in the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1600m).

He has had three subsequent runs for three top three efforts all in Black-Type company including his Group 2 Victory Stakes second to Victorem and his eye-catching third just a quarter length off the winner Tyzone in last Saturday’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).

Niccanova is on the quick back-up then out of Queensland’s premier race, where he also jumped from barrier 12, and looks suited to the extra distance back in grade on Saturday but up in weight from 53.5kg to 56.5kg.

Occupying the second line of Eagle Farm Mile betting this winter at $5 is the current market mover Military Zone for Peter & Paul Snowden.

Ryan Maloney comes aboard the Epaulette four-year-old whose last start was at Scone on May 15 when only three-quarters beaten running fifth to Dr Drill in a blanket finish in the Listed Scone Cup (1600m).

As a three-year-old last season Military Zone won the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m) at Eagle Farm and he chases his first win since out to break a year long drought.

In an open top half of the market there are a further three horses under $10 for the win including the $6.50 third elect Delectation Girl for trainer Kris Lees.

The imported mare remains a maiden down under not having won a race since April of 2017 in Germany and is out to improve on her 10^th behind Saturday’s Dane Ripper Stakes favourite Irithea in the Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic at Rosehill from mid-May.

The other best in betting include the Godolphin-raced stablemates Best Of Days ($9.50), a former Group 1 winner last seen finishing third in the Gosford Cup at Randwick in early May, and Gaulois ($9.50) coming off a narrow second at the Sunshine Coast in Black-Type company.

Click here for the latest Eagle Farm Mile 2020 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Eagle Farm Mile Field & Barriers