The money is rolling in thick and fast for the Darren Weir-trained top weight High Church to handle the kilos and take out the 2017 Port Adelaide Cup at Morphettville Racecourse on the weekend.
The Darren Weir-trained top weight High Church is short-priced favourite in 2017 Port Adelaide Cup betting for this weekend at Morphettville. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The six-year-old son of High Chaparral is one of 14 stayers in the mix for Morphettville Race 3 at 1:45pm (ACST) on Saturday afternoon, the $150,000 Listed Mittys Port Adelaide Cup (2500m) one of the highlights of The Goodwood Day.
High Church carries 59kg in the race from gate six with Damian Lane booked for the ride after the duo enjoyed a six length romp home in the wet last start on May 4 in the Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m).
The extra distance will only further suit the in-form import who has had just the one previous run at Morphettville when saluting over the 2500m here last April.
High Church rises from the 56kg he carried in the Warrnambool Cup, but remains the firming favourite into nearly odds-on territory at $2.05 in the latest Port Adelaide Cup markets at Ladbrokes.com.au.
There are just the two other single-figure fancies in the Port Adelaide Cup odds this autumn including the widely-drawn Time To Test ($4.40) who has plenty of time to overcome gate 13.
Tony McEvoy saddles-up the 54kg lightweight who enjoyed a 1950m Morphettville Parks win by four and a half lengths two back, before his second to Goldstream over the mile and a half at that same track on April 29.
Returning to the course proper will suit Time To Test who has great form at the track (3-2-1-0) and he looks weighted to be competitive in this year’s Port Adelaide Cup results.
The other danger is Waging War ($9) who runs in ‘Plan B’ after being scratched at the gates last weekend from the Group 1 SA Derby (2500m).
The flying Leon MacDonald & Andrew Gluyas-trained Rebel Raider gelding is bred to go the distance and looked a genuine chance in the elite level last Saturday.
Things went amiss however and the three-year-old now chases a fourth win on the trot taking on the older stayers here, his last run producing the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (2030m) win.
Clare Lindop continues her association with the up-and-comer from gate 12 on the 54kg minimum weight in the Port Adelaide Cup.
Representing value in the markets at double-figure offerings are then the likes of Matt Cumani’s imported Melbourne Cup performer Grey Lion ($12), Weir’s Warrnambool Cup third placed mare Unfurl ($17) and even another SA Derby scratching Docker Pav ($41) at a genuine roughies’ price to post his third win at career start number four.
See below for the full Port Adelaide Cup 2017 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and Fixed Win betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
