Hall of Fame trainer Bart Cummings has hopped the border with his 4yo son of Galileo, Markab, who is poised for a much deserved win in the 0-78 Betfair Handicap over 2100m.
Coming off successive placings at Canterbury, Markab hasn’t finished further back than 4th in 5 runs this campaign including two seconds and two thirds.
Leading hoop Luke Nolen is to ride but his fate will be determined well before the race when Markab is put through his paces in the parade ring where he is prone to sweating up badly and running his race prematurely.
The long Sandown straight will be right up his alley considering his latest run over 1900m at Canterbury where he got well out of his ground and stormed home to grab third when a $4 favorite.
Markab is likely to be double figure odds in the fifth event and is already quoted at $10 in some early markets. The pre post favourite, the Lloyd Williams trained Tanby($4), looks especially hard to beat as he lines up for his third run back from a spell after going down narrowly to Mega Excel at Moonee Valley earlier this month and will be much fitter with Nick Hall aboard.
The Betfair Handicap is race five on the card and will be run at 4:00pm AEDST.
Tanby $4.00
Cadenzia $6.50
Moulin Bleu $ 7.50
Markab $10
Rusticated $10
Fordee $11
*Odds courtesy of IASbet
Written by Xavier Blair
