Godolphin’s The Everest graduate Trekking is clear favourite in betting on the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes 2020 field for Friday night at The Valley.

Trekking sits top of the 2020 Manikato Stakes field and betting markets for Friday night at The Valley. Photo: Steve Hart.

The Cox Plate Carnival takes place this weekend starting with the twilight Moonee Valley meeting headlined by the Group 1 $1 million Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes (1200m).

Final acceptances on Tuesday revealed a Manikato Stakes field of 11 sprint stars led by the James Cummings-trained Trekking drawn midfield in barrier seven with John Allen to ride.

The Goodwood winner over the distance during the winter presents fit third-up and is back at The Valley after his recent second in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m).

Last weekend in Sydney he ran a strong fourth behind the brilliant Classique Legend in the $15 million The Everest (1200m) only one spot further back than his third in the same event last year.

On the short back-up, Trekking is tipped as the one to beat back in Melbourne and is at a current quote of $3.60 in the latest Manikato Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Three other horses join the favourite under double-figures in Manikato betting for Friday night including the $6 second elect Dirty Work drawn well in gate three.

Perth jockey William Pike has been brilliant in Melbourne over the past few weeks and will be after another feature race win partnering the Hawkes Racing-trained Written Tycoon four-year-old in this.

Dirty Work is yet to win at The Valley or over further than 1100m, but he was excellent taking out Caulfield’s Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) narrowly last start.

Prior to that he finished only 1.4 lengths back behind subsequent The Everest champion Classique Legend in The Shorts (1100m), but does need to prove he can run out the 1200m.

Occupying the third line of betting at $6.50 is the early market mover Pippie drawn the rails second-up.

The John & Chris Meagher-trained mare has been kept fresh since her Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) win over Trekking in late September.

She’s an undefeated first-up performer so not giving her a run since that win at The Valley is key and she should be right in the finish again.

Last of the single-figure fancies is the Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained Hey Doc ($8.50) who won this race back in 2017 and is looking to be the first dual champion on non-successive years since the race’s now namesake Manikato (1979, 1982).

It’s been a while between drinks for the now seven-year-old gelding who hasn’t won a race since the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in Perth last November, but his lead-up fourth in the Schillaci was solid and he loves Moonee Valley.

Click here for the latest Manikato Stakes 2020 betting odds courtesy of race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Manikato Stakes Field & Barriers

   Table Credit: Racing Australia.