Two smart middle-distance gallopers are currently battling for favouritism in the Prime Minister’s Cup 2017 odds at the Gold Coast this weekend with Religify and Federal considered the two best in the race by the bookies.

Federal is narrow early favourite to take out the 2017 Prime Minister’s Cup at the Gold Coast this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.

Officially the meeting’s namesake race, this year’s $100,000 Listed Australia’s Gold Coast Prime Minister’s Cup (1400m) runs as Race 5 at 2:20pm (AEST) on Saturday afternoon.

The line-up features 13 hopefuls and the narrow early favourite in Prime Minister’s Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $3.30 for the win despite drawing out in barrier 12 is the John O’Shea-trained Federal.

Tye Angland rides the Medaglia D’Oro five-year-old second-up, the gelding out to improve on his sixth to Redzel at Randwick in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) last time out when carrying 57kg.

Chasing his first win since March of last year when narrowly holding off Religify, Federal is suited to the 1400m having run top three in all but one of his nine runs over the distance to date but rises to 57.5kg.

The big danger is the Chris Waller-trained Religify (59kg) who sits at Prime Minister’s Cup odds of $3.40 after drawing nicely in barrier five.

Hugh Bowman rides the returning Choisir six-year-old whose last run produced a sixth in the Listed Parramatta Cup (1900m) in February.

Two subsequent trials should have Religify fit and firing over the 1400m first-up, the fresh performer boasting three wins, four seconds and a third from nine runs over this distance so far.

Outside the top two, the other key contender at a quote of $6.50 is Siegfried who hasn’t finished worse than fourth in his seven latest starts.

The locally-trained Gold Coast galloper represents Toby Edmonds from barrier nine with regular hoop Jeff Lloyd riding the Jet Spur six-year-old on 55.5kg.

Siegfried carried the same kilos to victory over 1350m defeating Sir Moments on April 15, which followed a close third when only a half-length off the winner Jumbo Prince in Toowoomba’s Listed Weetwood Handicap (1200m) earlier that month.

A gun over the distance (15-5-4-2), Siegfried has also had 10 previous Gold Coast runs for seven top three runs including most and was last seen at the track running a length away fourth to Madotti in the Magic Millions QTIS race in January.

Of the double-figure Prime Minister’s Cup hopes the best value runners shape-up as the Robert Heathcote-trained veteran nine-year-old Jopa ($12) coming off a third to Siegfried at Doomben, the always-honest Haradasun mare Beatniks ($13) and Ben Currie’s consistent four-year-old mare Kuzentsova ($14) all getting in on the 54kg minimum.

Check out the official Prime Minister’s Cup 2017 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and latest Gold Coast racing odds below – markets provided by Ladbrokes.com.au.

2017 Prime Minister’s Cup Field, Barriers & Odds