Last start Lord Reims Stakes winner Master Of Arts has opened favourite in the post-field Adelaide Cup 2017 odds for the two mile Morphettville feature in South Australia on Monday.
The Darren Weir-trained Master Of Arts is early favourite in 2017 Adelaide Cup betting for Monday’s two mile showdown. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
A capacity field of autumn stayers is engaged for this season’s $400,000 Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) that is set to run as Morphettville Race 7 at 4:17pm (SA time) on Monday.
Despite the bumper size of the line-up, just three of the runners are currently under double-figures for the win in the Adelaide Cup betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Early favourite out to continue a top season for Victorian horseman Darren Weir is Mastercraftsman grey Master Of Arts ($5).
Drawn gate six for his first run at 3200m, the smart stallion ran the perfect lead-up winning the Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) at the track last Saturday.
John Allen had the mount on 56.5kg that day and will be replaced on Adelaide Cup Day in the saddle by Damian Lane as Master Of Arts carries the same weight in the Group 2.
Weir has prepared the favourite in Adelaide Cup betting the past two years, but is yet to win the staying classic after Real Love ran third in 2016 and Taiyoo second in 2015.
Before the final Adelaide Cup field was announced, markets were led by the Lloyd Williams-owned import Bondi Beach.
The galloper was ruled out of a run however after suffering a hoof abscess earlier in the week.
Williams is still a hope of adding a fourth Adelaide Cup trophy to the cabinet however with Chance To Dance ($7) carrying top weight of 58kg on Monday.
Williams’ previous Adelaide Cup winners were Just A Dash (1981), Gallic (2007) and most recently Muri (2011).
This season the Robert Hickmott-trained Chance To Dance occupies the second line of betting and jumps from barrier three with Ben Melham aboard the ultra-consistent Teofilo seven-year-old.
The gelding has finished in the money in his four latest runs going back to mid-January including a last start third under the same 58kg weight behind Northwest Passage at Moonee Valley on February 17 in the Listed Torney Cup (2500m).
The other chance under $10 is the well-supported Annus Mirabilis from the Caulfield stables of Stuart Webb.
Getting in on 55.5kg, the Montjeu six-year-old has Regan Bayliss continuing associations after riding the horse for his four latest starts.
Annus Mirabilis was last seen carrying 54kg for a fifth behind Big Memory at Flemington last Saturday in the Listed Roy Higgins Quality (2600m), the former Irish galloper boasting winning form up to 2800m.
Of the longer priced hopes chasing an upset the biggest claims lay with De Little Engine ($10), Jim’s Journey ($11) and Mail It In ($11) who all drew wide in the Adelaide Cup barriers.
The Danny O’Brien-trained De Little Engine comes off a Roy Higgins Quality fourth and is out in the second widest barrier.
Smart local Reset four-year-old Mail It In comes off a string of excellent Adelaide runs including a Lord Reims Stakes fourth when beaten only a length.
Clare Lindop retains the ride on the in-form galloper who is up in distance here out in barrier 13, while the Peter Blanch-trained Jim’s Journey is in barrier 18 (into 15) on the back of a third in the Lord Reims.
Check out the full Adelaide Cup 2017 betting odds below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au to back your selections in the popular Group 2 event at the hottest autumn racing markets.
