Kingston Town Classic runner-up Material Man is the co-early favourite in pre-field Perth Cup 2018 odds for the New Year’s Day feature race in W.A. this summer.
Early co-favourite for the 2018 Perth Cup, Trap For Fools was ridden to a last start victory by Hong Kong-based Douglas Whyte (pictured on Glorious Days). Photo: Daniel Costello.
Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) have received 27 nominations for this season’s Group 2 $500,000 Perth Cup (2400m) and currently two stayers are vying for futures favouritism.
The latest all-in Perth Cup odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au list the Justin Warwick-trained six-year-old Material Man as the $4 equal top fancy alongside Trap For Fools who won the Listed G.A. Towton Cup (2200m) on December 9.
Chasing his first win since the Listed Northam Cup (1600m) first-up back in late October, Material Man was last seen finishing a devastatingly close second behind upset winner Pounamu in the Group 1 Kingston Town Cup (1800m) earlier this month.
He is up to a mile and a half in the Perth Cup and with winning form up to 2200m is considered a huge danger.
The Casuarina-based Lindsey Smith has the other current favourite in Perth Cup betting with progressive Poet’s Voice four-year-old Trap For Fools.
The chestnut is in flying form this Perth Summer Racing Carnival having won seven of his eight latest starts going back to late September including his past five on the trot.
Continuing to step-up in grade and distance, Trap For Fools was ultra-impressive on Kingston Town Classic Day in the G.A. Towton Cup with his 2.25 length success.
There are three other summer stayers currently under $10 to win the Perth Cup on January 1 including the Kingston Town Classic winner Pounamu ($6).
Authorized six-year-old Pounamu improved on a close sixth in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) to head the Kingston Town Classic trifecta as a $26 outsider in the weight-for-age classic.
That was his longest-distanced win to date setting up for an intriguing distance test on Perth Cup Day for the $1.12 million earner.
The other best in betting are the Grant & Alana Williams-trained mare Royal Star ($7) and fellow four-year-old Gatting ($8) before Zarantz ($11) starts the double-figure chances.
A four-year-old daughter of Redoute’s Choice, Royal Star is another roughie graduate out of the Kingston Town Classic where she finished 2.25 lengths away sixth at $41 odds.
Lightly-raced having won four of her 10 career starts to date, she has winning form up to 2200m having won the Listed Natasha Stakes over the distance as a filly back in March before her brave second in this year’s Group 3 W.A. Oaks (2400m).
Gatting is prepared by Lark Hill horseman Darren McAuliffe and the Hard Spun gelding has been kept fresh since his seventh in the Railway Stakes.
The step-up to 2400m in the Perth Cup field will suit the proven stayer who saluted over the track and distance back in April taking out the Group 2 W.A.T.C. Derby (2400m) by nearly two lengths.
As for Zarantz, the veteran seven-year-old is trained out of Karnup by Adam Durrant and is out to close the gap on Trap For Fools after a last start fifth in the G.A. Towton Cup.
Zarantz ran seventh in the latest edition of the Perth Cup back on December 31 in 2016 and is a dour stayer with winning form up to the two miles.
Check out the latest Perth Cup 2018 betting odds below, early markets open at Ladbrokes.com.au.
