The Darren Weir-trained French import Gallic Chieftain is firming favourite in 2017 Geelong Cup betting to win his way into the Melbourne Cup ballot field this Wednesday.
Gallic Chieftain is clear favourite in 2017 Geelong Cup betting this Wednesday. Photo: Steve Hart.
A quality 12-horse field faces off in this season’s Group 3 $300,000 Geelong Cup (2400m), the form of which has stacked up in plenty of recent Melbourne Cup results.
Currently Gallic Chieftain is a $51 outsider at Ladbrokes.com.au in futures markets for the Group 1 $6.2 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) over the two miles at Flemington on Tuesday November 7.
The five-year-old son of Tamayuz needs to win the Geelong Cup to make the 24 starter Melbourne Cup field currently sitting 44th on the order of entry for the world’s richest handicap.
On Wednesday the Geelong Cup odds on Gallic Chieftain are much shorter, the last start Group 2 Ladbrokes Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) third placegetter at $3.20 to salute from barrier two with Craig Williams in the saddle.
Gallic Chieftain carries 55kg and is out to further frank the Herbert Power Stakes form this spring, which held up in last Saturday’s Caulfield Cup results as the winner Lord Fandango finished fourth.
The shock Caulfield Cup winner Boom Time also came out of the Herbert Power Stakes (4th).
There are currently five other single-figure fancies in the Geelong Cup betting markets including the rails-drawn Kellstorm ($5.50) who has either won or placed in five of his past seven starts.
Also prepared by Weir, who won the Melbourne Cup in an upset with $101 outsider Prince Of Penzance in 2015, Galileo stallion Kellstorm was last seen finishing just two lengths away third to Amelie’s Star in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m).
It could prove a massive week for Weir who also has two chances lining-up against heroic mare Winx in the official 2017 Ladbrokes Cox Plate field at The Valley on Saturday with Humidor on the short turnaround out of the Caulfield Cup and Gailo Chop coming off a win in the Ladbrokes Stakes.
The next best fancied to win is the Archie Alexander-trained Wheal Leisure ($7) chasing three wins on the trot this time in.
The four-year-old Artie Schiller mare is flying and has ace form over some genuine stayers this season.
Two back the Group 1 performer defeated subsequent Herbert Power winner Lord Fandango over the Bendigo mile.
She then won again on October 1 in the Inglis Cup (2000m) beating Hardham who went on to finish eighth in the Caulfield Cup and who now backs-up against Winx as a surprise inclusion in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
Rounding out the single-figure Geelong Cup horses are Berisha ($8.50) with the outside barrier (12 of 12) and early market mover Violate ($9.50) backed right in from $16.
The Robert Smerdon-trained Berisha was runner-up to the visiting Charlie Appleby-trained British stayer and Cox Plate contender Folkswood in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (2025m) on October 15, while Sebring entire Violate comes off a 2000m win at Caulfield and drops back from 59kg that start to 54kg on Wednesday.
Check out the latest Geelong Cup 2017 odds below, fixed win pricing open now at Ladbrokes.com.au.
