Chris Waller’s star mare Verry Elleegant is nearing odds-on territory in the 2020 Tancred Stakes betting markets for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday looking to enjoy another Group 1 victory.
Verry Elleegant is the deserving favourite in 2020 Tancred Stakes betting for Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
A small but class line-up of nine weight-for-age hopefuls make-up the field for this year’s Group 1 $1.5 million Tancred Stakes (2400m) with four-year-old Zed mare Verry Elleegant the hard to beat favourite.
Drawn in barrier six with last year’s winning hoop James McDonald continuing his gun association with the $1.8 million earner, the latest Tancred Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Verry Elleegant into $2.10.
She is out to be the seventh Tancred Stakes favourite since 2004 to salute for the punters and the second on the trot following the success of Avilius in the race last autumn.
On that same day 12 months ago, Verry Elleegant was also enjoying an elite level victory when she saluted in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).
Next race the then three-year-old filly took out Randwick’s Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) and she is back up over that mile and a half distance in the Tancred on the weekend.
Last weekend she ran a thrilling second after going stride for stride to the line with the international raider Addeybb in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m).
She looks to have come off the gutsy run without an issue and presents fit and ready to fire on the quick back-up here.
Last year’s Tancred Stakes winner Avilius is back to defend his title also coming off a run in last Saturday’s Ranvet when crossing a distant third behind the dominant duo.
He gets the chance to turn the tables on Verry Elleegant here seven days on, the James Cummings-trained Pivotal six-year-old drawn in barrier four with Hugh Bowman to ride.
Avilius is the $5.50 second elect in Tancred Stakes betting and is followed closely in the markets by another galloper on the short turnaround, Mugatoo ($6.50).
Trainer Kris Lees ran his in-form Canberra Cup winner in last weekend’s Group 3 NE Manion Cup (2400m) when Mugatoo finished second in a devastatingly close finish with Addeybb’s stablemate, the fellow William Haggas-trained raider Young Rascal.
Returning to the same track and distance but rising in grade for the Tancred, Mugatoo has the outside alley and will need to be improving also going up in weight.
Rounding out the single-figure hopefuls at $8.50 is then the fellow Lees-trained stayer Mustajeer in barrier two for jockey Nash Rawiller.
Medicean seven-year-old Mustajeer enjoyed a Listed Parramatta Cup (1900m) win at Rosehill fresh carrying 60.5kg before his last start second on a Heavy (10) behind Master Of Wine in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes (2000m).
He gets a fortnight between runs and comes back a little in weight (59kg) putting him in the frame for Saturday.
Click here for the latest Tancred Stakes 2020 odds on the final field courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2020 Tancred Stakes Field
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 42147×5453 | AVILIUS (GB) | James Cummings | Hugh Bowman | 4 | 59kg | 115 |
| 2 | 7235160×12 | MUSTAJEER (GB) | Kris Lees | Nash Rawiller | 2 | 59kg | 111 |
| 3 | 13141x0x06 | DANCETERIA (FR) | Kris Lees | Brenton Avdulla | 7 | 59kg | 110 |
| 4 | 26441301×7 | SOUTHERN (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Tom Marquand | 8 | 59kg | 110 |
| 5 | 322x30x036 | MIRAGE DANCER (GB) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Tommy Berry | 1 | 59kg | 109 |
| 6 | 3x156x1112 | MUGATOO (IRE) | Kris Lees | Kerrin McEvoy | 9 | 59kg | 98 |
| 7 | x65800x895 | ANGEL OF TRUTH | Gwenda Markwell | Glen Boss | 5 | 58.5kg | 101 |
| 8 | 5015222×03 | CARIF | Peter & Paul Snowden | Tim Clark | 3 | 58.5kg | 100 |
| 9 | 1x9410x422 | VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 6 | 56.5kg | 115 |
