The Group 1 $7.75 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) may be the race of the year down under taking place on Tuesday at Flemington, but Sydney racing continue to do their best to steal some of the spotlight with the inaugural $2 million Big Dance (1600m) race running at Randwick on Cup Day this year.
Hosier is favourite to win the inaugural $2 million Big Dance race in Sydney on Melbourne Cup Day this Tuesday. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Kris Lees-trained Hosier heads the Big Dance 2022 betting markets at Ladbrokes on the inaugural running of the mile handicap, the winner of which will take out over $1 million in prize money!
The 2022 Melbourne Cup jumps as Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT), and in Sydney the Big Dance serves as a nice lead-up to the 162nd edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’ running as Rosehill Race 5 at 2:20pm (AEDT).
A bumper line-up of 20 runners face off in the Big Dance field, which features four emergency runners.
The Melbourne Cup field meanwhile is down to just 23 horses with the news on Monday that the Robert Hickmott-trained Point Nepean was out due to an elevated blood count.
The Big Dance favourite, Hosier, is drawn out wide with barrier 20 for international hoop Frankie Dettori, but could start from 18 with emergencies out.
Hosier may have a wide alley in a big field to overcome, but he is being kept safe in the markets at $4.80 to post his third win on the trot presenting fit third-up with previous winning form third-up.
He comes off a last start Benchmark 88 win at the track and distance on Heavy going carrying 59kg to a by 1.75 length success and comes back to 57kg on Saturday.
Newcastle horseman Lees has a strong hand in the Big Dance field numbers-wise saddling-up four horses.
The favourite is joined in the line-up by stablemates Rustic Steel ($12) who won the Scone Cup on Heavy going during the winter, Kedah ($81) and roughie hope Spanish Point ($91) coming off a three-length Lismore Cup victory over 2100m at Grafton.
Frankel eight-year-old Spanish Point has been written off by the punters back to 1600m off his big victory over further, but he remains a chance in the exotics coming back from 58kg to the 52kg lightweight on the weekend.
Occupying the second line of Big Dance betting at $6.50 is the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Surf Dancer also third-up and fit in a favourable barrier five draw for Regan Bayliss.
The Lope De Vega six-year-old is yet to win from four runs at Randwick, but won the South Grafton Cup over this distance with 61kg back in July and brings in some strong form from this prep.
Fresh he won the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) on a Good (4) at Rosehill then finished sixth behind a very nice horse in Cascadian here in the Group 3 Craven Plate (1800m).
Saturday’s assignment looks easier back in grade, weight and distance.
The other two Big Dance horses at single-figures in the current markets are early firmer Sibaaq ($7.50) for Annabel Neasham and the equal 61kg top-weight with Surf Dancer, Bandersnatch ($9), drawn out in gate 22 for jockey Brenton Avdulla.
Sibaaq comes off back-to-back Sydney seconds this spring, the latest here on The Everest Day in the $1 million Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) behind Ellsberg.
Bandersnatch has also been good this campaign, Team Hawkes’ Casino Prince six-year-old third fresh at Sandown behind Peter Moody’s subsequent $10 million The Golden Eagle winner I Wish I Win and then second in the Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) on Caulfield Cup Day.
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