Master trainer Darren Weir is poised to saddle another black type winner when eleven horses step out for Saturday’s Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) in Queensland.
That is the tail of the tape in 2018 Ipswich Cup betting, where Tradesman has continued to receive plenty of interest and has firmed into odds-on favouritism, or a market-bet price of $2.05 in the market with Neds.
Tradesman has produced a number of outstanding performances and results this time in and is stepping back in class into the Ipswich Cup field after running second to Egg Tart in the Group 2 PJ O’Shea Stakes (2200m) a fortnight ago.
The Trade Fair gelding resumed this time for consecutive fourth-placings over 1400m and a mile respectively, before returning to the winner’s stall during the Warnambool Festival in May.
A run in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) was probably a bridge too far in what was his only other start prior to the PJ O’Shea Stakes, but this looks like the perfect black type race for the six-year-old and he’ll be extremely difficult to beat.
Ecuador ($7.50) has been a strong and consistent performer throughout his entire racing career to date and he looms as Trademan’s biggest danger in the 2018 Ipswich Cup.
Once a placegetter behind Winx in the Epsom Handicap, Ecuador resumed this time for consecutive second-placings in each of the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m), Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) and Listed Lord Mayors Cup (2000m).
He has failed to fire at his two-most recent starts and he’ll have to carry topweight here, but he returns to his most-ideal conditions in the Ipswich Cup and will be right in the finish of the race on class alone.
Smart As You Think has opened on the third line of Ipswich Cup betting and looks to be the value in field at a $10 quote.
Its been a while between wins for Smart As You Think, but she has been a strong and consistent black type performer throughout her entire racing career and is capable of finding herself right in the finish of the Ipswich Cup.
Placing in her first two starts this time, the So You Think mare failed to fire in the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m), but has since placed in a pair of talent-stacked Flemington races and finished fourth in the PJ O’Shea Stakes.
She’s weighted ideally with only 54kgs in tow and is certainly not without a hope of pulling off an upset.
There is a case to be made for several other runners at double-figure Ipswich Cup odds, including Tumultuous ($14) and My Giuliano ($18).