The money is coming for the Desleigh Forster-trained Chapter And Verse to win the Sunshine Coast Cup 2020 at Caloundra this Australia Day long weekend.
Trainer Daryl Hansen saddles-up three runners in Saturday’s 2020 Sunshine Coast Cup. Photo: Daniel Costello.
Due to run as the penultimate event on a bumper 10-race card on Saturday, this year’s Listed $125,000 Sunshine Coast Cup (1400m) features a capacity 18 starter field that includes four of the five emergencies following a quartet of early scratchings.
Sitting top of the updated Sunshine Coast Cup odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, Rothesay five-year-old Chapter And Verse is drawn ideally in barrier six looking to add to his solid record at the track.
The Group 1 performer last raced at the Sunshine Coast during the winter when a close third from barrier 17 of 17 in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) run on a Heavy (10) track.
He has had four subsequent runs finishing in the top four each time including a narrow victory in the Group 3 George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben in November.
Chapter And Verse was last seen finishing fourth to the George Moore Stakes runner-up Outback Barbie when only a half-length beaten at the Gold Coast earlier in the month in the $1 million Magic Millions QTIS (1300m).
He carted 58kg that day and will relish the drop right back to 55.5kg in the Sunshine Coast Cup field with regular rider Mark Du Plessis retaining the mount.
Last year’s winning trainer Darryl Hansen enjoyed a 2019 win with Balboa Rocks and returns in 2020 with three hopefuls including the defending champion.
The out-of-form Balboa Rocks gets in on the 54kg minimum having finished well back in his lead-up runs and is a $126 roughie shot to go back-to-back in the Sunshine Coast Cup results.
Monsieur Gustave has a wide gate to overcome and is another outsider ($41) in the markets, while Pennino is far better fancied at $7.50 in Sunshine Coast Cup betting.
Four-year-old Easy Rocking mare Pennino comes off a lead-up win at Eagle Farm over 1200m from January 18 and presents rock hard fit on the quick back-up going up to 1400m.
Second favourite in the markets for the latest Queensland Summer Racing Carnival Black-Type at $6 is the Toby & Trent Edmonds-trained Tyzone.
Tyzone carries 59.5kg going up 1.5kg from his weight when third to Deep Image at Eagle Farm on December 28 in the $200,000 The Buffering (1400m).
Runner-up in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) last winter, the Written Tycoon six-year-old is one of the class horses in the mix and remains a winning hope despite the weight.
Two of the past three Sunshine Coast Cup winners carried exactly 59.5kg to victory with Sir Moments (2017) and Most Important (2018).
Scallopini ($7) follows in the markets drawn a treat in barrier five.
The Steven O’Dea-trained Snitzel gelding is out to atone for his eighth in the $1 million Magic Millions Sprint (1200m) getting back up over his preferred distance (6:3-1-1) this weekend.
O’Dea is looking for a second Sunshine Coast Cup trophy having won the race back in 2017 with the aforementioned Sir Moments.
Heading the Sunshine Coast Cup weights in 2020 with an equal 60kg are then the other Team Edmonds-trained runner Crack Me Up and the Steve Tregea-trained Niccanova both at $9.50 for the win.
Crack Me Up comes off a close sixth behind Vega One in the $1 million Magic Millions Cup (1400m) earlier in the month and chases his first win since the Group 3 Liverpool Cup (1300m) at Randwick in March of 2018.
Niccanova meanwhile is a last start winner having won the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm on December 28 just two runs after his win in Doomben’s Listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m).
Click here for the latest Sunshine Coast Cup 2020 betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
