A capacity field of 14 plus three emergencies has accepted for Saturday’s $350,000 William Hill Mornington Cup (2400m).
Being run on a Saturday for the first time, the Listed feature is the highlight of Saturday’s ten-race Mornington program and offers ballot exemption into October’s $3.5 million BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m).
Warrnambool Cup (2350m) winner Akzar heads the field with the Darren Weir-trained stayer drawing barrier eleven for jockey Brad Rawiller.
The eight-year-old, who finished seventh last start in the $1 million Australian Cup (2000m), is one of five horses in the race to come through the Flemington Group 1.
The others include fifth placegetter Entirely Platinum who has drawn gate 10, the 15th and 16th placegetters Big Memory (barrier 16) and Sonntag (four) and the runner-up Extra Zero (two), who has also accepted in Saturday’s $1.5 million The BMW (2400m) in Sydney.
WATCH: The Australian Cup won by Spillway
Other key draws include Yarra Valley Cup (1950m) victor Index Linked (barrier one), Launceston Cup (2400m) winner Genuine Lad (five) and Adelaide Cup (3200m) placegetter Renew (13).
A capacity field of 15 runners and two emergencies has also been assembled for the program’s other Black-Type race, the $120,000 Listed IVECO Melbourne Truck Centre Hareeba Stakes (1200m).
Kiwi sprinter Natuzzi (barrier 11) heads the classy line-up which also includes Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) winner Hard Stride (two), Oakleigh Plate (1100m) runner-up Under The Louvre (10), the talented but injury-plagued Unpretentious (six) and the Lindsay Park pair of Afleet Esprit (16) and Girl Guide (14), the latter of which is also accepted for Friday night’s William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Further highlights include a pair of $100,000 races that also feature an additional $50,000 worth of Super VOBIS and VOBIS Gold bonuses in the Bayside Jeep Guineas (1500m) for the three-year-olds and Martin Collins Fibretrack Sires’ (1500m) for the two-year-olds.
WATCH: Under The Louvre in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate
