An inside barrier draw has seen the back in form Bondeiger claim favouritism for the 2019 Group 2 $400,000 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on Monday.

Bondeiger, above, is the favourite for the 2019 Adelaide Cup at Morphettville. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Bondeiger, above, is the favourite for the 2019 Adelaide Cup at Morphettville. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Bondeiger drew perfectly at barrier two in the capacity twenty horse field plus one emergency and has been marked as the $3.80 favourite for the Adelaide Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead his nearest rival Eastender at $5 after the Tassie champ drew gate eighteen.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Bondeiger found himself back in the winner’s stall last Saturday with a stylish victory in the Group 3 $120,000 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) at Morphettville.

James Winks has kept the Adelaide Cup mount on Bondeiger while Craig Newitt will ride Eastender again after the pair combined for wins in the Group 3 $250,000 Hobart Cup (2400m) on February 10 and in the Group 3 $250,000 Launceston Cup (2400m) on February 27.

“Bondeiger is now a clear favourite, Eastender remains on the second line of betting but the clear market mover has been Aloft and he has been $51 into $26 following his credible effort at Flemington on Saturday,’’ Ladbrokes Tom Hackett told The Advertiser.

Alotf has drawn barrier eight with Jason Holder aboard while the Wizard Of The West, Williams Pike, rides $15 chance Top Of The Range.

Bondeiger’s part owner Laurence Eales was impressed with his horse’s winning effort at Morphettville last Saturday but is expecting a tougher contest on Monday.

“He’s really turned the corner, he’s raced well at every run this prep,’ Eales said.

“He’s been lightly-raced and he seems to be thriving now.

“It was a pretty soft win last weekend, the Adelaide Cup is obviously a different story, a field of 20 and there is a few smart ones in there,’’

Final field for the 2019 Adelaide Cup (3200m)

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating
1 1751×21111 EASTENDER Barry Campbell Craig Newitt 18 58kg 103
2 7×43293332 FABRIZIO Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Stephen Baster 10 58kg 103
3 43031×8341 BONDEIGER Ciaron Maher & David Eustace James Winks 2 54kg 98
4 0633411222 NAVAL WARFARE (IRE) Chris Waller Corey Brown 1 54kg 95
5 7x1P9x8584 ALOFT (IRE) Eric Musgrove Jason Holder 8 53kg 93
6 2×22118123 LAMBORGHINI (NZ) Patrick Payne Michael Dee 16 53kg 92
7 6×87930552 SYLPHEED Matt Cumani Dom Tourneur 14 53kg 91
8 1521342137 OLYMPIC ACADEMY Grant Young Raquel Clark (a) 15 53kg 86
9 0x80987305 DOUBLE BLUFF (IRE) Aaron Purcell Fred W Kersley (a) 12 53kg 83
10 x064535313 TOP OF THE RANGE (NZ) Michael Moroney William Pike 20 53kg 80
11 3333231144 AAGAS Ryan Balfour Cory Parish 6 53kg 79
12 34×5411180 DAWN RAID Matt Cumani Dean Yendall 3 53kg 79
13 8446×95143 KHEZERABAD (FR) Aaron Purcell Jye McNeil 13 53kg 78
14 57×0878268 EXALTED LIGHTNING Grant Young Ms Georgina Cartwright (a) 11 53kg 74
15 x983586325 AZURITE (IRE) Michael Hickmott Chris Caserta (a) 21 53kg 73
16 11514 SURPRISE BABY (NZ) Paul Preusker Dean Holland 4 53kg 72
17 4x4x158461 FRANKED (GB) Michael Hickmott Jamie Kah 7 53kg 69
18 70582×3203 OCTOBER DATE Nick Smart Ms Kayla Crowther (a) 5 53kg 67
19 57×8046015 BON EQUUS Kevin & Heather Frew Patrick Moloney 17 53kg 64
20 9377315626 HENRY THE DOLPHIN Mark Faust Sairyn Fawke 19 53kg 61
21e 57×3823124 PAT THE WEAPON Stuart Gower Zac Spain (a) 9 53kg 58

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.