The final field and markets are now out for the ATC Cup 2016 running at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and early betting on the showdown is led by the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Falkenberg.
Iggi Pop is one of the best fancied stayers in Saturday’s 2016 ATC Cup field & betting markets at Rosehill Gardens. Photo: Daniel Costello.
A key act on the Festival Stakes Day card, this year’s $125,000 Listed ATC Cup (2000m) has attracted 14 hopefuls who will face off in Rosehill Race 7 at 4:20pm (AEDT).
Drawn in barrier 10 with Kerrin McEvoy to ride on the 54kg minimum is Team Snowden’s More Than Ready mare Falkenberg.
The four-year-old sits top of the current ATC Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $4.80 to go one better than her last start second at the track in the November Topaz (1900m).
The extra 100m shouldn’t be an issue after she was beaten only a half-neck by the winner New Tipperary in that November 19 event, and she gets in on the same weight with the same hoop.
As a filly in the winter Falkenberg ran third in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) further proving her ability to stay and handle a Black-Type assignment.
Occupying the second line of ATC Cup betting at $6 is the early market mover Lady Le Fay backed in from her opening quote of $8.
The Chris Waller-trained Thorn Park mare has run sixth in her latest three runs all in Melbourne.
The latest was in the Listed Ballarat Cup (2200m), but the drop in distance and return to Sydney could mark a return to form for the six-year-old.
The other two single-figure hopes are the Peter Robl-trained Iggi Pop ($8) and Malice ($9) for John O’Shea drawn the outside two alleys in barriers 13 and 14 respectively.
Veteran eight-year-old Iggi Pop hasn’t won a race since the Listed Queensland Cup (3200m) over the two miles at Eagle Farm back in July of 2014.
It’s been a long time between drinks for the stayer, but he’s been racing consistently in similar class of late including his November Topaz third where he carried two kilos more than his 54kg allocation this weekend.
Godolphin’s Teofilo six-year-old Malice is third-up on Saturday after a first-up third in a Listed Hawkesbury race on November 3 and a close November Topaz fifth when beaten two lengths.
He’s come close in his two resuming runs and gets a bit of weight relief in the ATC Cup so should be peaking has he looks to continue a solid Rosehill record (6-2-2-0).
Of the double-figure chances some of the most noteworthy with genuine claims at an upset include Waller’s American import Closing Bell ($11) racing for the third time down under, Snowden’s progressive four-year-old Not A Gypsy ($11) and the rails-drawn Reiby The Red ($12) coming off a mile win at Warwick Farm.
See below for the full ATC Cup 2016 field, barriers and latest Fixed Win odds provided by Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).
