Adelaide Cup

On Monday, March 8, the esteemed Allan Scott Park at Morphettville will host the next big race day of the Adelaide autumn racing carnival.

The feature race of the day is the $400, 000 Group 2 Adelaide Casino Adelaide Cup (3200m) where 17 classy stayers are set to battle it out for the lucrative stakes and status on offer.

The two classy gallopers battling for favouritism ahead of Monday’s Adelaide Cup are Capecover and Moment In Time, both sitting at $5.50 with SportsBet.

Moment In Time, a five-year-old Archway mare prepared by Murray Bridge, is coming off a brilliant win in the Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) on February 27 at the same track. She has drawn the coveted barrier one for Monday and with in-form hoop Dwayne Dunn aboard she will the runner to beat.

Dunn is aiming at his second Adelaide Cup victory following his success aboard Lacey Underall in 2008.

If Moment In Time does back up her Lord Reims victory with a win on Monday she will be 22^nd horse to take out the Lord Reims – Adelaide Cup double, the first since Chronus in 1997.

The Patrick Payne-trained Capecover ran a gallant third to Moment In Time in the Lord Reims and will start from barrier nine with Steven Arnold behind the reins.

Runner up in the Lord Reims, Dolphin Jo, is also backing up with a run in the 2010 Adelaide Cup. The seven-year-old Dolphin Street gelding has drawn wide with barrier 14 for Monday with Clare Lindop engaged for the ride and is currently at odds of $11.

Other top chances in the Adelaide Cup include Montahlia, De Fine Lago and Kerdem.

Montjeu mare Montahlia has displayed sensational recent form of late, coming off two wins over 3000m at Moonee Valley. The Michael Kent-trained six-year-old will jump from barrier 12 with big race specialist Glen Boss aboard and is paying $7 for a win.

Four-year-old De Fine Lago had an impressive last start when he ran second to Growl in the Hobart Cup (2200m). The Tony Vasil-trained Delago Brom gelding is yet to prove himself over the Adelaide Cup distance, his longest distanced win being over 2500m. De Fine Lago has drawn barrier 15, but with the talented Damien Oliver aboard, still is a strong chance here.

Kerdem has fared better in the barrier draw and will start from barrier six. The seven-year-old gelding from the Patrick Payne stable ran fourth in the Lord Reims Stakes last start and will be looking to improve on that this time round.

Adelaide Cup Day is so important that it is an official public holiday in South Australia and it is easy to see why when the elite line-up of races at the meeting also includes the $100, 000 Group 3 R N Irwin Stakes (1100m), $200, 000 Group 2 Yallambee Classic (1200m) and a three Listed status races.

The 2010 Adelaide Casino Adelaide Cup is scheduled as the ninth race on the ten-event programme.

2010 Adelaide Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw: