Blacks A Fake will attempt to become just the second horse in more than half a century to win the Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup off at least 30 metres after trainer Natalie Rasmussen this morning accepted for Sunday’s $400,000 Group 1 event with her stable star.
Since Ribands won the 1954 edition off 48 yards (44 metres), only Blossom Lady (30 metres, 1995) has won Australia’s richest handicap race off such a daunting mark.
The Queensland champ will carry the No 15 sulky number in Sunday’s 3065-metre endurance test after a capacity field of 14 runners plus one emergency (Larado) was announced at this afternoon’s barrier draw luncheon at the Eureka Tower.
Despite the presence of the two-time Inter Dominion winner, the barrier draw did little to weaken Safari’s stranglehold on favouritism in Victoria’s third Grand Circuit event of the 2007/08 season.
With Robin Hood his only company on the 10-metre line, the eight-year-old – who beat Blacks A Fake off level marks in last Saturday night’s PETstock Ballarat Cup – retains his place as the $2 favourite in TAB Sportsbet’s fixed odds market.
He holds favouritism from New South Wales star Divisive, who is now a $5.50 chance after drawing barrier 11.
Smoken Up (barrier two), Christian Spirit (four) and Manwarra Goforgold (five) were some of the big winners at today’s barrier draw. Moonee Valley Cup runner-up Penny Veejay (seven), rising star Karlsruhe (eight) and impressive Queensland mare Good Lookin Girl (10) didn’t fare quite so well.
Today’s luncheon also saw the barriers allotted for the other Group 1 on Sunday’s bumper program, the $50,000 Sky Channel Dullard Trotters Cup final.
The winner of Saturday night’s second heat, Viva La Fever is poised to start one of the favourites after landing the coveted inside barrier, while Jauriol is poised to play a prominent role after landing barrier three.
Saturday night’s other heat winner Whatsundermykilt is the lone backmarker in the field, starting off 20 metres, with the horse he edged out on Saturday night, Galleons Sunset, the only horse on the 10-metre line.
Acceptances for the other eight races on Sunday’s card close at 8.30am tomorrow with fields available later in the morning.
Fields for Sunday afternoon’s two Group 1 features are as follows:
Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup (3065m) – 4.30pm
|
1
|
REPORT FOR DUTY
|
Tim Butt
|
Anthony Butt
|
$10
|
|
2
|
SMOKEN UP
|
Lance Justice
|
Lance Justice
|
$11
|
|
3
|
REBA RAJAH
|
Crystal Peacock
|
Nathan Jack
|
$26
|
|
4
|
CHRISTIAN SPIRIT
|
Greg Harper
|
Mark Reed
|
$17
|
|
5
|
MANWARRA GOFORGOLD
|
Emma Stewart
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TBA
|
$26
|
|
6
|
SMOOTH CRUSA
|
Lance Justice
|
John Justice
|
$51
|
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7
|
PENNY VEEJAY
|
Jayne Davies
|
Chris Alford
|
$41
|
|
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-----Second Row-----------------
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|
|
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8
|
KARLSRUHE
|
David Aiken
|
David Aiken
|
|
$51
|
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9
|
ADVANCE ATTACK
|
Graeme Lang
|
Graeme Lang
|
$61
|
|
10
|
GOOD LOOKIN GIRL
|
Bill Dixon
|
Grant Dixon
|
$16
|
|
11
|
DIVISIVE
|
Peter Rixon
|
Peter Rixon
|
$5.50
|
|
12
|
LARADO (ODS)
|
Lance Justice
|
TBA
|
EMERG
|
$61
|
|
|
-----10 metres---------------------
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|
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13
|
ROBIN HOOD
|
Peter Tonkin
|
Gavin Lang
|
$51
|
|
14
|
SAFARI
|
Emma Stewart
|
Brian Gath
|
$2.00
|
|
|
-----30 metres---------------------
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|
|
15
|
BLACKS A FAKE
|
Natalie Rasmussen
|
Natalie Rasmussen
|
$6.50
|
Sky Channel Dullard Trotters Cup (3065m) – 3.10pm
|
1
|
VIVA LA FEVER
|
Ross Graham
|
Ross Graham
|
$4.50
|
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2
|
LENNY LEWIS
|
Alan McIntosh
|
Gavin Lang
|
$26
|
|
3
|
JAURIOL
|
Chris Lang
|
Chris Lang Jnr
|
|
$5.50
|
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4
|
BALD HILL BANDIT
|
Michael Barnard
|
Chris Alford
|
|
$34
|
|
5
|
BELEVA
|
Ian McCallum
|
Ian McCallum
|
|
$34
|
|
6
|
MAYBE HALL
|
John McCarthy
|
Luke McCarthy
|
|
$15
|
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7
|
PEPPERELL VICTORY
|
Bob Conroy
|
Daryl Woolcock
|
$67
|
|
|
-----Second Row-----------------
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|
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8
|
SUNANA ASSET
|
Ross Graham
|
John Caldow
|
ODS
|
$26
|
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9
|
RUNNING PINEVALE
|
Russell Thomson
|
ODS
|
$17
|
|
10
|
TENNOTRUMP
|
Peter Manning
|
Kerryn Manning
|
ODS
|
$17
|
|
11
|
FALSE GEM
|
Bob Conroy
|
Glenn Conroy
|
RODS
|
$34
|
|
|
-----10 metres---------------------
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|
12
|
GALLEONS SUNSET
|
Chris Lang
|
Derek Balle
|
$4.50
|
|
|
-----20 metres---------------------
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|
|
13
|
WHATSUNDERMYKILT
|
Kevin Fairbairn
|
Daryl Douglas
|
$4
|
