The 2017 Adelaide Cup steals the show at Morphettville Racecourse this afternoon in South Australia, a detailed form guide analysis and betting preview on the Group 2 classic found below.

Jim’s Journey boasts the most Morphettville wins out of any horse in the Adelaide Cup field 2017. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
Due to run as Morphettville Race 7, this season’s $400,000 Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) field is down to 19 runners after the official 2017 Adelaide Cup Day Scratchings.
Updated Adelaide Cup odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au feature four single-figure fancies led by the Darren Weir-trained Lord Reims Stakes winner Master Of Arts ($4.50) who had a hurdle trial for his final lead-up.
There has also been money rolling in for the 58kg top weight Chance To Dance ($6), the Robert Hickmott-trained seven-year-old last seen running second to Northwest age in a 2500m black-type at Moonee Valley on February 17.
The other top fancies are the Darren Weir-trained De Little Engine ($7.50) and Annus Mirabilis ($7), but there could be value in a roughie shot like proven staying mare Kawabata ($19) or the imported Darabad ($14) racing first-up down under for Robbie Laing.
Below we take a look at the full 2017 Adelaide Cup form guide, betting history and race statistics to uncover any value in the markets this autumn.
2017 Adelaide Cup Form Facts & Betting Stats
- Last year’s Adelaide Cup winner was the Lindsay Park-trained Purple Smile (2016) who came off a third at Moonee Valley, jumped from barrier 17 (of 17) carrying 53kg to victory as a $31 roughie in betting with Stephen Baster aboard
- The Lindsay Park stable chase back-to-back Adelaide Cup wins today with #17 Honey Steel’s Gold ($31) who is at the same outside price in betting as last year’s winner
- The previous Adelaide Cup winning jockeys with a ride this year are Clare Lindop on #4 Mail It In ($11) and Dean Holland on #20 Kawabata ($21)
- #1 Chance To Dance (58kg) is out to be the first Adelaide Cup top weight to salute since Capecover (57kg in 2010)
- The outside barrier (19) belongs this year to #7 Lord Van Percy ($19) coming off a Torney Cup fourth and Moonee Valley and who is also prepared by Darren Weir
- Last year’s winning barrier (17) belongs this year to #9 Tunes ($51) who was runner-up in the Adelaide Cup quinella last autumn
- Barriers 3 – 9 have produced 7 of the past 10 Adelaide Cup winners; those gates belong today to: #1 Chance To Dance (3), #17 Honey Steel’s Gold (4), #8 Mujadale (5), #2 Master Of Arts (6), #12 Annus Mirabilis (7), #13 Chestnut Charlie (8) and #20 Kawabata (9)
- The Lord Reims Stakes is the key lead-up race into the Adelaide Cup in recent history producing three of the past 10 winners with Rialya (2nd in 2012) the most recent
- Rialya (2012) was also the last locally-trained Adelaide Cup winner
- #2 Master Of Arts ($4.50) chases the Lord Reims Stakes – Adelaide Cup double in 2017
- The other Lord Reims Stakes graduates in the mix this year are: Puccini (2nd), Jim’s Journey (3rd), Mail It In (4th), Tunes (7th) and Exalted Lightning (10th)
- Nine out of the past 10 Adelaide Cup winners came off a black-type race
- Favourites have a poor recent record in the Adelaide Cup results and along with Purple Smile ($31 in 2016) other roughies to get up include Norsqui ($25 in 2013) and Tanby ($15 in 2015)
- Both Tanby (2015) and Purple Smile (2016) came off a Moonee Valley lead-up run; that Adelaide Cup form holds in 2017 for Moonee Valley graduates #1 Chance To Dance (2nd) and #7 Lord Van Percy (4th) who come off a Torney Cup run
- Five of the past 10 Adelaide Cup winners came off a Melbourne lead-up run
- Zavite (Launceston Cup, 2009) was the last Adelaide Cup winner to come off a lead-up win
- Along with #2 Master Of Arts the other last start winners in the field are: #17 Honey Steel’s Gold (Marong Cup, 2200m, Bendigo, 18/02/2017) and #20 Kawabata (Benchmark 70, 3065m, Warrnambool, 23/02/2017)
- No Adelaide Cup winner in the past 10 years has run worse than fifth in the lead-up
- The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #2 Master Of Arts (35%) followed by #1 Chance To Dance (27%)
- The best Place Rate of the field belongs to #4 Mail It In (69%) followed by #1 Chance To Dance (65%) and #2 Master Of Arts (60%)
- The previous winners at the track (Morphettville) are: #5 Jim’s Journey (17-5-1-3), #9 Tunes (18-3-3-2), #13 Chestnut Charlie (13-3-1-1), #2 Master Of Arts (2-2-0-0), #17 Honey Steel’s Gold (4-2-0-1) and #4 Mail It In (15-1-4-3)
- The previous placegetters over the distance (3200m) are: #17 Honey Steel’s Gold (5-2-1-1), #10 Like A Carousel (9-0-2-1), #6 De Little Engine (3-0-0-1) and #9 Tunes (4-0-1-0)
Stay tuned for our insider Adelaide Cup 2017 tips and in the meantime check out the full race form guide below courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.