The 61st running of the Listed $160,000 WJ McKell Cup highlights the racing program at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday.
Jockey Jay Ford is the only jockey to have won the race twice in the past decade and rides Esti Feny on Saturday.
Warwick Farm trainer Joe Pride will be the trainer to keep an eye on, having won the race three times in the past 10 years and he has Mach Schnell (to be ridden by Tyler Shiller) entered this time around.
Pride has won the race three times in 10 years with his latest winner being Stockman in 2021 (Destiny’s Kiss 2018; Sense Of Occasion 2015).
Between them, Annabel Neasham (Bois D’argent, Bartholomeu Dias, Regal Lion) and Chris Waller (Desert Icon, Lord Ardmore, Irish Sequel, Bold Mac) have seven of the 13 runners.
There are 13 acceptors for the race (off 19 nominations) including last start winner Bois D’argent from the Annabel Neasham camp.
He has been backed from $4.60-$3.70 in early betting with online bookmakers and holds slight favouritism over Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s runner, Zoumon ($3.70-$3.90).
With a huge 10-race program commencing at 11am, the McKell Cup is race seven on the card and jumps at 2:30pm AEST.
Rosehill Gardens’ program has attracted bumper acceptances with 144 horses across the 10 races including two huge fields for the Midway (24 runners including emergencies) and Highway (18 plus two emergencies).
2023 WJ McKell Cup Final Field
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