The Eduardo form is tipped to stack up once again as the Mark Newnham-trained Splintex looks to return to the winners’ stall in Saturday’s Moreton Cup 2021 field at Eagle Farm.

Splintex is the horse to beat in Saturday’s 2021 Moreton Cup field at Eagle Farm. Photo: Steve Hart.

A key support act on the Queensland Oaks Day card, this year’s $200,000 Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m) features a small field of just nine final acceptors.

Sitting top of the latest Moreton Cup odds at $2.70 through Ladbrokes.com.au is the rails-drawn Splintex, the four-year-old son of Snitzel chasing a seventh win from 18 career starts.

He has a strong 1200m record (5:2-0-1) at the distance and put in one of the eye-catching runs in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) last start when finishing sixth, only 1.5 lengths off the winner Eduardo.

The Doomben 10,000 form was franked last weekend with the fourth-placed Vega One taking out the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup and now the bookies are tipping Splintex to do the same in an easier event this weekend.

The danger drawn one on the outside of the favourite at a current quote of $4.60 in the Moreton Cup betting markets is the James Cummings-trained Varda (2) to be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy.

McEvoy chases his second win in the event previously run as the QTC Cup having won aboard Galah back in 2013 and retains the ride on the Godolphin-raced mare here.

The four-year-old daughter of Lonhro steps out over further than 1100m for the first time in the Moreton Cup following her good Listed Chief De Beers Stakes (1100m) win at Doomben a fortnight back with McEvoy aboard.

She carried 54kg to a three-quarter length success there and drops to 53.5kg making her a genuine chance to run out the six furlongs.

Two other runners are at single-figures to win with the Leon & Troy Corstens-trained Zoustar four-year-old The Astrologist ($8) coming off a fifth to Varda in the Chief De Beers and the top local hope Baller ($8.50) for in-form Queenslander Tony Gollan.

The now Brisbane-based Gollan ran the Kingsford-Smith Cup quinella last Saturday with Vega Magic and Jonker, and looks to have a genuine chance in the Moreton Cup with another last-start winner from the stable Baller – previously prepared by Chris Waller.

Glen Boss rides the High Chaparral five-year-old in the Group 2 with the horse boasting an excellent 1200m record (8:4-0-1).

He’s had two runs at Eagle Farm without a top three finish, but was good at the Gold Coast a month ago when having his first run for Gollan to win the Listed Goldmarket Handicap (1200m).

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

2021 Moreton Cup Field & Barriers

Table Credit: Racing Australia.