The 2017 Scone Cup Form Guide is vital ready for punters and racing fans ahead of the featured country cup at New South Wales’ Scone Racecourse on Friday afternoon.
Reigning champion Pajaro will take his place in Friday’s 2017 Scone Cup field. Photo: Steve Hart
The 2017 Scone Cup has drawn a talented and capacity field, as well as four emergencies, but we have studied every runner in detail in order to help you find the Scone Cup winner.
Fabrizio is set to start favourite in Scone Cup betting markets, but the Hawkesbury Gold Cup winner faces a big task in posting his second-consecutive win in Friday’s feature race.
Fabrizio
Fabrizio carries winning form amongst similar company into the Scone Cup and should prove extremely tough to beat in the Friday feature race. A strong and consistent performer for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott in spring, the High Chaparral gelding clearly required a run when he faded terribly in the Royal Randwick 100 (1400m) first-up on April 15th, but responded with a smart win in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) a fortnight ago. The five-year-old should easily take up the running from barrier 4 and will again be tough to run down in the late stages of the Scone Cup.
Mighty Lucky
Unlike his name suggests, Mighty Lucky was completely luckless when he was blocked for a run in the final straight of the Hawkesbury Cup last time out, but could receive the run of the race on Friday from the ideal barrier 3. The Casino Prince gelding has been a tough racehorse throughout his entire racing career and is likely to find peak condition third-up in the Scone Cup. Regular hoop Chris O’Brien has been booked to the take the ride and Mighty Lucky is a live hope at good odds.
Amovatio
Amovatio is yet to be seen at the races in 2017, but he has trialled competitively in the lead-up to the Scone Cup and can never be written out of calculations. The Al Maher gelding ran a close second in this race in 2016 and continued to impress throughout a winter preparation, but failed to make much of an impact through five starts in spring and summer. Amovatio may require a run, but has the notable advantage of Hugh Bowman in the saddle on Friday.
Famous Seamus
Group 1 winner Famous Seamus will be given another crack at a mile in the Scone Cup and it is races like this one which tend to suit the veteran these days. Winner of the Listed Ladies Day Vase (1400m) in late spring, the Elusive City gelding has yet to produce much through two starts this time and he would arguably have to produce his best performance for more than two years if he is to win the Scone Cup.
Testashadow
Testashadow began his year with an outstanding win in the Magic Millions Cup (1400m) on the Gold Coast and has continued to produce strong results through five subsequent starts. Placing third in each of the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m) and Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m), the gelding was simply outclassed when he finished eighteenth in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m), but responded well when third in the Hawkesbury Gold Cup a fortnight ago. He will need luck in running from barrier 17, but is not without a chance on ability.
Pajaro
Defending Scone Cup winner Pajaro is set to take his place in the field for Friday’s feature race and has drawn ideally into the field in barrier 8. Jumping a $21 shot in 2016, the Align gelding continued his excellent form through the Brisbane Winter Carnival, but similarly to Amovatio, failed to make an impact in spring and summer. Sure to have taken benefit from two runs this time in, Pajaro is a proven performer at the class, distance and course and is weighted well at only 55.5kgs.
Green Sweet
Green Sweet was well beaten when eleventh in the Group 3 JRA Plate (2000m) last time out on April 15th and probably faces too great a task in returning to winning form in the Scone Cup. Posting three wins and a further four minors through his thirteen career starts so far, the Smart Strike gelding’s best form appears to have been at races run over a distance 2000m and it is tough to see how he will handle a step back in distance on Friday.
Singing
Singing has failed to live up to the hype which followed him to Australia from the care of Andreas Wohler in 2016, but a race like the Scone Cup is probably not out of reach of the seven-year-old. While failing to beat a runner home in either of the Ajax Stakes or the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) so-far this time, the Singspiel entire is weighted to run well at 54.5kgs, is partnered by leading country hoop Robert Thompson and is better than his Scone Cup odds suggest.
Moher
One of two Godolphin representatives in the Scone Cup field, Moher worked to the line well to finish second behind Fabrizio a fortnight ago and should carry plenty of upside into the Scone Cup. A winner at the distance and amongst stronger field previously, Moher returned to the races this time for eighth in the Royal Randwick 100 in what was his only other start prior to the Hawkesbury Cup. With Melbourne Cup winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle, Moher should fly home with only 54kgs in tow and is a leading chance of a first three finish.
Kellyville Flyer
Kellyville Flyer received plenty of attention from the Hawkesbury faithful when she lined up in the Cup, but she failed to justify the trend when finishing thirteenth. She simply cannot make up seven lengths on the likes of Fabrizio and Moher on Friday, particularly after drawing into the Scone Cup field in barrier 13.
God’s In Him
Team Hawkes have a knack of pulling one out of the bag in country cups and God’s In Him is more than capable of continuing that trend in the Scone Cup 2017. The God’s Own gelding has only made one appearance at the races this season, but has reportedly taken huge benefit from the hit-out and will relish a return to a mile in the Scone Cup. He’ll need some pace early not to get lost from the rails draw, but is sure to receive a gem of a ride from Tommy Berry.
Duca Valentinois
Duca Valentinois has been gallant without much luck this time in and he is arguably faced with his best chance of a return to winning form on Friday, after drawing into the Scone Cup field in barrier 5 and the allocation of only 53kgs. Returning for a close second in the Hong Kong Jockey Club BM100 (1300m) on April 15th, the son of Holy Roman Emperor was blocked in the Hawkesbury Gold Cup, but has condition to suit this week.
Queensberry Rules
Queensberry Rules faces a huge step up in class into the Scone Cup field and this race is probably a bridge too far. Thirteenth of fourteen in the Tamworth Cup (1400m) first-up on April 30th, this appears to simply be a throw at the stumps by trainer Jeremy Sylvester and it would likely take some miracle for the horse to win.
Pure Pride
Pure Pride is capable of an outstanding performance on her day and is a lightweight chance at double-figure offs in Scone Cup betting markets. Fifth behind I Am A Star in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m), the Shocking mare has been anything but consistent this season, but has still managed some competitive performances and results.
Royal Tudor
Royal Tudor savaged the line for fourth in the Hall Mark Stakes last time out and is another horse who could take plenty of improvement into the Scone Cup. So confident in his ability is Rod Ollerton, that the trainer has included the four-year-old in nominations for this year’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in Brisbane and his performance in the Scone Cup is likely to dictate whether or not he is set for a campaign in Brisbane.
It’s A Shamozzle
It’s A Shamozzle won his first two starts this time, but faded to finish sixth in the Tamworth Cup last time out and probably won’t enjoy a clear step up in company on Friday afternoon. It’s A Shamozzle has generally been kept to country racing throughout his career and is yet to be test at black type level.
Mishani Warrior
SCRATCHED
Supply And Demand
Supply And Demand is the Scone Cup market mover at the time of publish, but he is another horse who will have to muster a career-best performance to win. The son of Sebring returned from a freshen-up to finish third in a Randwick minor over 1400m on April 22nd.
Reiby The Red
Third emergency Reiby The Red has not been seen at the races since early January and if he gains a start, will probably need the run. The second runner for Jason Attard to potentially take his place in the Scone Cup field on Friday, Reiby The Red has posted three wins and eight minors through twenty-three career starts.
Blood Red Moon
Blood Red Moon probably won’t make the Scone Cup field as the fourth emergency and the mare would have to improve tenfold on her last-start fifth in a race over 1250m at Binnaway.
