The Ron Quinton-trained Royal Celebration is one of the early favourites in Scone Cup 2021 betting for Friday looking to atone for a lead-up second at Hawkesbury.

Purple Sector carries topweight in Friday’s 2021 Scone Cup field. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

A quality field of milers do battle in the always-popular Listed $200,000 Darley Scone Cup (1600m) ahead of the weekend and there are 14 remaining in the mix following the early withdrawal of Dealmaker (14) and Itz Lily (20).

It’s a tight top half of the Scone Cup betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au with six single-figure hopefuls including Excelebration five-year-old Royal Celebration ($6.50).

A one-time favourite to win before drawing out wide in gate 13, the in-form entire presents fit fourth-up having his first run at Scone on the back of a second behind Archedemus from May 1 in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m).

He has been knocking on the door for some time in some very good races including his Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) second last November at big odds, and gets the chance to break a notable winning drought going back to April last year.

Royal Celebration trails only Laure Me In who has been well-supported into $5 favouritism.

Rachel King rides the David Pfieffer-trained six-year-old who is another perennial placegetter coming off a number of close calls.

He was runner-up in last spring’s Listed ATC Cup (2000m) before a fourth in the Group 3 Summer Cup (2000m) on Boxing Day and a fourth again in the Listed January Cup (2000m).

The son of Ad Valorem has had just the one run since producing a big effort to go down only a length when fourth at 30/1 at Randwick on April 24 carrying 55.5kg.

Fitter for the run, he should take improvement off that into the Scone Cup field on Friday coming back to 54kg and his trainer is confident the punters have it right.

“I think he has a good Cup race in him and hopefully Friday is a start,” the Warwick Farm-based Pfieffer told Racenet this week.

“Scone suits his racing style, he’s got an outstanding second-up record and he’s the perfect horse to travel to these country cups because a five hour float trip won’t bother him.

“Everything is pointing to him running well on Friday.”

There are then a host of horses around $8.50 – $9 in the Scone Cup odds with the other best fancied runners in the mix being: the Paul Perry-trained Provincial Championship runner-up Pandano ($8.50) coming right back in weight, Tommy Berry’s mount Bottega ($8.50) drawn a treat in gate four, Helmet gelding Phaistos ($8.50) for Godolphin and the huge market mover Order Again ($9).

Sydney’s best Chris Waller chases his first Scone Cup victory this season and has two remaining runners in Street Cry mare Toryjoy ($26) and Iffraaj seven-year-old Order Again.

After opening at 20/1, Order Again has been heavily backed right into single-figures and is drawn in gate five with Brenton Avdulla to ride first-up.

Click here for the latest Scone Cup 2021 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2021 Scone Cup Field & Barriers

Table Credit: Racing Australia.