Saturday night’s $45,000 All Seasons Quality Resort Bendigo Pacing Cup shapes as an enthralling tri-nations battle between Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
The appearance of highly rated US import Articulator (pictured) has added an intriguing new dimension to the Group 3 contest that will also play host to dual Australian Horse of the Year Sokyola and this year’s New Zealand-trained Moonee Valley Cup winner Winforu.
Not surprisingly the trio head up pre-post betting for the 2415-metre mobile start feature after all landed favourable front line draws at the all-important barrier draw.
Winforu is the $2.70 favourite after snaring the coveted pole, with Articulator kept safe at $5.50 from gate two and Sokyola (gate five) rated a $6 chance to claim his second Bendigo Cup after taking top honours in 2003.
The race shapes as a defining moment in the careers of both Articulator and Sokyola, with the former set to make his much awaited Australian debut and the latter looking to halt a fall from grace after several high profile losses this season.
With an appearance in the prestigious American National Final to his name two starts back, Articulator brings an imposing reputation into battle and new trainer Tim Butt will be eager for a forward showing on the eve of this month’s Tasmanian Inter Dominion.
Similarly, Lance Justice will be anxious for Sokyola, a winner of $1.8 million and 73 races, to show improvement second-up from a three month injury-enforced spell after leading and weakening to finish ninth in last weekend’s Apco Geelong Pacing Cup.
The full line-up for the All Seasons Quality Resort Bendigo Pacing Cup, to be run at 10pm (AEST) this Saturday, is;
| 1 |
| WINFORU (NZ) | G. SMALL | DAVID BUTCHER | $2.70 |
| 2 |
| ARTICULATOR (USA) | T. BUTT | ANTHONY BUTT | $5.50 |
| 3 |
| SHES ROYALTY (VIC) | J. DAVIES | CHRIS ALFORD | $8.00 |
| 4 |
| COSMIC LEGACY (VIC) | B. SYLVIA | BRIAN SYLVIA | $7.00 |
| 5 |
| SOKYOLA (VIC) | L. JUSTICE | LANCE JUSTICE | $6.00 |
| 6 |
| ROLLON BIGRED (QLD) | D. GRAHAM | DARREL GRAHAM | $21 |
| 7 |
| POPPYS BOY (VIC) | M. GOVERS | STUART GOVERS | $34 |
| -------------Second Row------------------------- | |
| 8 |
| TOE TAPER (VIC) | T. MOULE | TONY PEACOCK | Emerg |
| 9 |
| CASHEL UISCE (VIC) | M. CALDOW | JOHN CALDOW | $13 |
| 10 |
| REGAL DASH (VIC) | R. SUGARS | GREG SUGARS (C) | $13 |
| 11 |
| REDCOURT (QLD) | S. HUNTER | GEOFF WEBSTER | $15 |
| 12 |
| BLAKEY (VIC) | J. JUSTICE | JOHN JUSTICE | $26 |
