By MIKE DILLON
What chance a Kiwi trifecta in the $A1.25 million Australian Cup at Flemington?
Aussie bookmakers are tipping it.
New Zealand mare Giovana is already favourite for the group one feature after her stunning win in Saturday's $100,000 Whakanui Stud International Stakes.
And bookies rate Kaapstad Way and Showella as the two hardest for Giovana to beat.
"There is not a decent Australian weight-for-age horse around," said Brian Taylor, book manager for Melbourne's Double Bet.
The Australian Cup has traditionally been one of the most competitive races on the calender across the Tasman. The very best have won it and only Veandercross in 1993 has been good enough to win it for New Zealand since Bonecrusher's epic defeat of At Talaq in 1987.
Vo Rogue (twice), Better Loosen Up, Octagonal, Saintly, Dane Ripper and Intergaze have their names on the Australian Cup.
"There is nothing of their class in this year," says Taylor. "Sky Heights is not there, neither is Oliver Twist.
"It is really a handicap field being run at weight-for-age."
Probably the highest rating Australian will be Caulfield Cup winner Diatribe.
Diatribe stormed home late to finish fourth in Sunday's $A300,000 Orr Stakes at Caulfield when resuming from a spell.
The absence of real class among the Australians has Frank Ritchie thinking seriously about running Showella, who resumed in Saturday's $100,000 Waikato Draught Sprint at Te Rapa after ligament problems destroyed her Caulfield and Melbourne cups campaign.
"She's come through that race really well and if we're happy with her progress and get serious about the Australian Cup she will run in the main 1600m race at Matamata on Saturday week.
"The Australian Cup is two weeks later again. It's quite a tight time frame, but it is workable if we're happy with her."
Regardless of whether she goes to Melbourne, Showella will be set for the major weight-for-age races at the Sydney autumn carnival.
If Giovana does well after the Australian Cup she will head to the same races in Sydney.
The class mare was yesterday officially transferred to Roger James as her trainer and she leaves early next week for Melbourne where her lead-up to the Australian Cup will be the $A200,000 St George Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday week.
"I'm not sure Caulfield will suit her as much as Flemington where the Australian Cup is run," said her owner and New Zealand trainer, Carol Marshall.
"She's very well though. She came through Saturday's race better than she's ever come through a race, probably because she didn't have a hard race. She didn't have to do a lot to win."
James trained Giovana in Australia last winter where she won the Queensland Oaks in his red and white colours.
This time she will be wearing Marshall's colours.
"So many people said to me that it was a shame she didn't carry my colours in the Oaks, so when Roger asked me, I said it would be good if the jockey wore mine."
Racing: Kiwis favoured in Aussie Cup
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.