Caulfield Cup Hopes Head 2020 MRC Foundation Cup Field

September 18, 2020

Caulfield Cup Hopes Head 2020 MRC Foundation Cup Field

A ballot exemption into the Caulfield Cup is on offer in Melbourne this weekend with a quality field of stayers in the mix for the MRC Foundation Cup 2020 on Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Day.

Cape Of Good Hope Horse Form (Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos) - Races.com.au

Group 1 winner Cape Of Good Hope has been scratched from the 2020 MRC Foundation Cup. Ultimate Racing Photos.

Formerly known as the Naturalism Stakes, this season’s Group 3 $160,000 MRC Foundation Cup (2000m) field is still set to run at capacity with 16 starters despite four early scratchings.

Among the withdrawn horses from the MRC Foundation Cup field are the two original top-weights: Mirage Dancer (61kg) and Group 1 winner Cape Of Good Hope (60.5kg).

Mirage Dancer, last seen finishing seventh in the Listed Heatherlie Handicap (1700m), is instead being saved by Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young for Moonee Valley’s Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m) Friday week on Moir Stakes Night.

Updated MRC Foundation Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are dominated by the Danny O’Brien-trained import Orderofthegarter at $3.70 and firming to break through with a win after a string of frustrating seconds.

The Spring Cups-bound Galileo entire may be a seven-year-old, but he is only lightly raced having had just 11 starts to date for two wins and six seconds.

Three of those starts have been down under, and the latest two with O’Brien.

Orderofthegarter was Group 1 performed in Europe back in 2017 before spending over a year on the sidelines before racing just the once in 2018 in Melbourne.

After nearly two years off the scene, he arrived with a bang for last year’s Melbourne Cup winning trainer O’Brien in late July and caught the eye when only a neck beaten over 2000m at Caulfield on August 29.

With less weight from gate four with Damien Oliver aboard this weekend, the MRC Foundation Cup favourite looks a genuine chance to secure the ballot free ride into the Group 1 $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) back at the track on October 17.

The danger occupying the second line of MRC Foundation Cup betting at $5 is the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Scone Cup winner Dr Drill (59kg).

Ace hoop Craig Williams partners the Dansili six-year-old second-up having ridden him fresh when fifth, only 1.6 lengths beaten in the Heatherlie from a wide gate (13 of 16).

The Heatherlie Handicap winner In Good Health also backs-up in the old Naturalism Stakes on Saturday, Peter Moody’s in-form mare chasing her third win on the trot.

She was impressive from gate 15 of 16 with Luke Nolen giving her a patient ride for her shock win as a $51 outsider last time out.

The daughter of Congrats gets into the MRC Foundation Cup with 55kg, but will have to be good again coming up with another outside alley and is listed at $20 for another upset.

Shorter in the markets are the likes the Chris Waller-trained Kinane ($7.50) looking to return to her better form and Tony & Calvin McEvoy’s consistent Fastnet Rock four-year-old Game Keeper ($7.50).

Game Keeper comes off back-to-back thirds having finished off narrow trifectas in both the Group 3 Aurie’s Star at Flemington down the straight and the Heatherlie at Caulfield last time out.

Click here for the latest MRC Foundation Cup 2020 betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 MRC Foundation Cup Field

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 30x03643x7 MIRAGE DANCER (GB) Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Ben Melham 13 61kg 108
2 x100x80x00 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE (IRE) Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes Jamie Mott 5 60.5kg 106
3 115x3010x5 DR DRILL (GB) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Craig Williams 6 59kg 103
4 0386x051x9 HAKY (IRE) Archie Alexander Declan Bates 15 59kg 103
5 11x3103x09 SHARED AMBITION (IRE) Chris Waller 9 59kg 103
6 111x4679x0 STEEL PRINCE (IRE) Anthony & Sam Freedman Jye McNeil 3 58.5kg 102
7 0932148116 MAHAMEDEIS Nick Ryan Rhys McLeod 1 57.5kg 100
8 874x9748x0 GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) Archie Alexander Damian Lane 7 56.5kg 98
9 15627x2x22 ORDEROFTHEGARTER (IRE) Danny O’Brien Damien Oliver 4 56kg 97
10 410x38x311 IN GOOD HEALTH Peter G Moody Luke Nolen 17 55kg 98
11 36x953125x CHAPADA Michael Moroney Daniel Stackhouse 8 55kg 94
12 x615129x33 DABIYR (IRE) Chris Waller Michael Walker 2 55kg 94
13 x652x02524 POLLY GREY (NZ) Chris Waller John Allen 12 55kg 93
14 06x1111x33 GAME KEEPER Tony & Calvin McEvoy Luke Currie 10 55kg 92
15 231134×014 THINK WE’RE DUE Andrew Noblet William Pike 16 55kg 92
16 21112x08x0 DJUKON (GB) Chris Waller 19 55kg 91
17e x34923x4x7 THE KING (IRE) Lindsey Smith Dean Yendall 20 55kg 87
18e 2x2113x50 KINANE (NZ) Chris Waller Michael Dee 14 55kg 85
19e 81x4143x15 SUPER GIRL Josh Julius Billy Egan 11 55kg 80
20e x84109x111 SHANDY Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra 18 55kg 79

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Racing fields and data are copyright 2011-2021 © Racing Australia Pty Ltd (RA) (and other parties working with it).
Racing materials, including fields, form and results, is subject to copyright which is owned by RA and other parties working with it. Full copyright notice.

Spring Racing

Military Mission Fires in 2023...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field �...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field & Odds Update: Vow And Declare Defends Title

Danny O’Brien’s 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare continues to show a...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbott...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Betting Markets

Bjron Baker’s The Everest performer Overpass is tipped to return to winning...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 R...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 Race Field & Betting

The Chris Waller-trained Pierro four-year-old Osipenko is firm favourite in...

2023 Railway Stakes Field ...

2023 Railway Stakes Field & Betting Update: Tuvalu Narrow Favourite

The Lindsey Smith-trained top-weight Tuvalu is narrow favourite in the latest...

Horse Racing Today

2024 The Galaxy Results: Zapat...

Golden Slipper Results 2024: L...

Golden Slipper Results 2024: Lady Of Camelot Beats Coleman, Storm Boy Third

Co-trainer Gai Waterhouse extended her record to eight victories in the 2024...

2024 George Ryder Stakes Winne...

2024 George Ryder Stakes Winner Veight Beats Older Rivals

Veight joined an elite list of three-year-olds to beat home the older horses...

Rosehill Guineas 2024 Results:...

Rosehill Guineas 2024 Results: Riff Rocket Flies Home Late Ahead of ATC Derby

Chris Waller’s VRC Derby winner from the spring, Riff Rocket, now has the...

2024 Ranvet Stakes Results: Vi...

2024 Ranvet Stakes Results: Via Sistina Too Good Debuting for Waller

Yu Long Investments lucrative European purchase, the now Chris Waller-trained...

Race Results

2024 The Galaxy Results: Zapateo Upsets Sunshine In Paris

Golden Slipper Results 2024: Lady Of Camelot Beats Coleman, Storm Boy Third

Imperatriz Defends Title in 2024 William Reid Stakes

2024 George Ryder Stakes Winner Veight Beats Older Rivals

Rosehill Guineas 2024 Results: Riff Rocket Flies Home Late Ahead of ATC Derby

Race Previews

UK Raider Post Impressionist Heads Tancred Stakes Field & Odds

2024 Australian Cup Field & Betting Update: Pride Of Jenni v Mr Brightside

Golden Slipper 2024 Tips & Betting Update

The Galaxy 2024 Race Field & Odds: Ozzmosis Leads Betting on Slipper Day Sprint

2024 Rosehill Guineas Field & Betting Update: Riff Rocket Set to Take Off

Fields & Form

UK Raider Post Impressionist Heads Tancred Stakes Field & Odds

2024 Australian Cup Field & Betting Update: Pride Of Jenni v Mr Brightside

Golden Slipper 2024 Tips & Betting Update

The Galaxy 2024 Race Field & Odds: Ozzmosis Leads Betting on Slipper Day Sprint

2024 Rosehill Guineas Field & Betting Update: Riff Rocket Set to Take Off