City of Auckland Cup at Ellerslie betting guide and free tips
ELLERSLIE hosts the Group 3 City of Auckland Cup on New Year’s Day and a classy field of 18 runners with four emergencies will line up.
The 2400m staying event has a purse of $200,000 which makes it highly sought after for the long distance types and it always presents an even betting field.
That’s the case this time around as two last start winners are the joint favourites at $5.40 which means there’s some great each way value to be snapped up by punters.
We have listed our best City of Auckland Cup chances for 2017 with odds, runner information and free tips.
2017 City of Auckland Cup betting market
1. Saint Emilion – $10
2. Nymph Monte – $10
3. St Jean – $41
4. El Soldado – $121
5. Candle In The Wind – $28
6. King Kamada – $14
7. Blizzard – $18
8. Fanatic – $5.40 at CrownBet.com.au
9. Lizzie L’Amour – $5.40
10. Mister Impatience – $56
11. Marciano – $18
12. Perfect Start – $56
13. Snow Secret – $9.50
14. Five To Midnight – $6.80
15. Jiayuguan – $21
16. Megablast – $21
17. Zafrenzy – $33
18. Zambezi Warrior – $18
19e – scratched
20e – Smedley – $86
21e – scratched
22e – First Honour – $51
23e – Realta – $27
24e – Aston Park – $151
City of Auckland Cup winning chances
1. Saint Emilion – $10
Trainer: Baker/Forsman
Jockey: Opie Bosson
Form: 17144
Barrier: 21
11-time race winner Saint Emilion won’t have an easy task from out side in barrier 21, but it should be able to find a forward position over this distance.
The five-year-old is a three-time winner at Ellerslie and it looked good when winning at weight-for-age level on this track in November.
Its run for fourth at in the Group 1 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day had merit as it was checked late at a vital stage and it runs best when it can find a soft lead and kick strongly around the final turn.
Bookmakers are offering $10 which is a good price for a quality stayer which carries 60.5kg, but has the class factor.
8. Fanatic – $5.40
Trainer: Sanders/Sweeney
Jockey: Mark Hills
Form: 6901
Barrier: 17
Four-year-old mare Fanatic was only battling in its first three starts this campaign before stepping up in distance and striking immediately.
The daughter of Shocking won its only start at this distance which came at Trentham when beating Sofia Rosa in the New Zealand Oaks. Sofia Rosa went on to perform well in Australia so that’s a great form guide for this.
Its three lengths win last start was an indication of how much ability it possesses over the staying distances and the wide draw shouldn’t factor in as it will likely settle back during the run.
The punters have already backed it into equal-favouritism and we’re expecting more support to come.
Take the $5.40 at CrownBet.com.au.
9. Lizzie L’Amour – $5.40
Trainer: Baker/Forsman
Jockey: Matthew Cameron
Form: 16151
Barrier: 19
Lizzie L’Amour is a nicely-bred daughter of Zabeel which has looked good in a limited career to date.
The four-year-old has won half of its eight career starts and it defeated a handy type in Snow Secret when winning the Waikato Cup at Te Rapa in December.
It owns two victories by more than three lengths this campaign which should give punters plenty of confidence and its light weight of 53kg helps.
It’s another fancied runner which has drawn wide, but we’re expecting a good effort and it should start close to favouritism.
13. Snow Secret – $9.50
Trainer: Shaune Ritchie
Jockey: Michael Coleman
Form: 42172
Barrier: 3
Snow Secret is a five-year-old mare which has won twice from four starts at Ellerslie. The Sahkee’s Secret mare produced a strong finish behind Lizzie L’Amour last start and its win at Te Rapa over 2100m was stylish.
It was good enough to run second at Flemington in May before running poorly in the Port Adelaide Cup behind Zanteca. It has since performed well and the inside draw should play out perfectly.
It’s paying a solid price of $9.50 at Sportsbet.com.au and that should drop on the day.
City of Auckland Cup each way hopes
2. Nymph Monte – $10
Trainer: Grant Nicholson
Jockey: Danielle Johnson
Form: 41150
Barrier: 12
The son of Tavistock was a beaten favourite in the New Zealand Cup at Riccarton in November, but its form prior was stellar and punters should forget about its most recent effort.
It ran over 1400m at Awapuni when it was working home best late and that should be a good indicator for this. It won back-to-back races between 2000-2500m this campaign and it should be respected at an each way price of $10 with WilliamHill.com.au.
6. King Kamada – $14
Trainer: Lisa Latta
Jockey: Kelly McCulloch
Form: 0529
Barrier: 11
King Kamada is only a four-win gelding from 48 starts, but it always puts itself into a winning position.
The Lisa Latta-trained gelding has placed in five starts at Ellerslie and it has won and placed at this distance. It didn’t fire last start at Awapuni, but it finished a handy sixth in the Auckland Cup last March and that’s a good form guide for this.
There are many punters which are getting tired of backing King Kamada, but with the light weight of 53kg on its back, it’s not the worst each way bet.
16. Megablast – $21
Trainer: Nigel Tiley
Jockey: Samantha Collett
Form: 12143
Barrier: 14
Megablast is a more-than-capable gelding which has won six from 16 starts. The five-year-old by Shinko King ran on well behind Lizzie L’Amour last start after blundering at the start and that run had plenty of merit.
Its form prior included a 3.3-length win at Trentham and three consecutive victories by a combined margin of 8.8 lengths.
It has been tipped as a pure wet tracker, but Megablast could be the surprise factor at $21 with Bet365.com as it has a great turn-of-foot.
Don’t be surprised to see it finishing off quickly down the outside.
City of Auckland Cup tips
1st – Fanatic
2nd – Lizzie L’Amour
3rd – Snow Secret
4th – Megablast
Fanatic proved last start that it loves running over distance and we’re expecting nothing short of a top effort on New Year’s Day.
Lizzie L’Amour will be the toughest for Fanatic to beat after its stellar last start win and Snow Secret is consistent enough to include in trifecta bets.
Megablast is our value runner at $21 and should also be included.
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