The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Cabeza De Vaca is tipped to return to winning form this Saturday in Brisbane heading the field and odds for the Bernborough Handicap 2017 at Doomben.
Cabeza de Vaca is clear favourite in 2017 Bernborough Handicap betting for Brisbane this Saturday at Doomben. Photo: Steve Hart.
The six-year-old son of Northern Meteor enjoyed successive spring wins in Sydney including the Listed November Handicap (1400m) before things went amiss and he ran a luckless eighth in the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) on December 2.
Last time out Cabeza De Vaca improved and finished just a quarter-length second to Crack Me Up at Royal Randwick in the Group 2 Villiers Stakes (1600m).
This weekend he heads to Queensland for the Listed $300,000 Magic Millions Bernborough Handicap (1600m) and will be out to add to his strong record over the mile (6:2-2-1).
The latest Bernborough Handicap odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au list the Sydney raider as the firm $2.80 favourite in gate nine with Stephen Baster coming aboard for the ride.
A 12 horse field is assembled for the Brisbane Summer Series showdown on the weekend and along with the clear top fancy there are a further four single-figure hopes.
Occupying the second line of Bernborough Handicap betting at $5 and firming is early market mover and last start winner Cantbuybetter.
Drawn a treat in gate four and carrying 55kg, the Ben Currie-trained Casino Prince six-year-old from Toowoomba comes off a narrow victory at the track and distance from December 9 in the Listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m).
He rises a kilo for the weekend and takes on a tough field, but Cantbuybetter remains a winning hope over the mile at Doomben.
The next best in betting are the rails-drawn Zahspeed ($6) in flying form this preparation and gun local galloper Hopfgarten ($6.50) with work to do from the outside barrier (12).
Gold Coast-based six-year-old Zahspeed is prepared by Toby Edmonds and comes off back-to-back thirds at Rosehill (1800m) and Doomben (1600m) respectively.
The latest at the start of the month was a close finish when only a quarter-length off Cantbuybetter in the Brisbane Handicap when jumping from out wide in barrier 13 of 15.
A better gate on the weekend has Zahspeed back in top three contention again, jockey James Orman booked for the ride.
The other key Brisbane Handicap graduate in the Bernborough field on Saturday is the runner-up Hopfgarten prepared by Robert Heathcote.
An always-honest stakes performer, Mossman seven-year-old Hopfgarten was a devastatingly close second carrying 59kg that day before his last start ninth when only three lengths beaten in the Villiers Stakes in Sydney.
Hopfgarten is back in Brisbane at his pet track and distance and even with the wide gate and big weight (58kg) is being kept safe in betting by the bookies.
Rounding out the hopes under $10 for the win at $7.50 is then Sheiswhatsheis, the Bernardini mare one of three in the race for local horseman Tony Gollan.
The striking black six-year-old comes off a third in the Listed Just Now Quality (1350m) on December 9 and has in-form hoop Matthew McGillivray in the saddle again on the weekend.
Check out the full Bernborough Handicap 2017 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and latest Brisbane summer racing odds on the weekend fixture courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au below.
