Australia: Mankayan highweighted for Albury Cup
High weight assignments are common for Mankayan, who may start favored in the $134,900 Albury Cup at Albury Racecourse on Thursday.
A winner of 6 of 24 starts, all in Britain and Australia, Mankayan will carry top weight of 130 pounds in the Albury Cup at 1 1/4 miles, which is down from his assignment of 135.5 pounds when third in the Wangaratta Cup at 1 1/4 miles on March 4. The gelding won a five-runner handicap at about 1 1/4 miles as the odds-on favorite at Moonee Valley last August as the 130-pound highweight.
In the Albury Cup, Mankayan spots his rivals 2 to 11 pounds. In early betting on Wednesday, Mankayan and Beltoro (119 pounds) were the 5-2 co-favorites.
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The win at Moonee Valley is Mankayan’s most recent win. He has had four subsequent starts, including two races this year.
Beltoro, a winner of 5 of 27 starts, will face a test at the distance. A 5-year-old gelding, Beltoro finished fifth in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes at Moonee Valley in September 2021 in his only start at 1 1/4 miles.
Beltoro has won 2 of 4 starts this year, with both of the wins in one-mile races. Beltoro closed from fourth to win his latest start, the C.S. Hayes Cup at Morphettville on March 13.
The Albury Cup is part of the qualifying series for the $1.34 million Big Dance Stakes at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in November. The first two finishers of the Albury Cup qualify for consideration for the Big Dance, which will be run under handicap conditions with a maximum field of 20.
Mankayan’s lofty official rating, which determines his weight assignments in handicaps, would help him to earn a berth in the Big Dance should he finish first or second in a qualifying race.
Albury has an eight-race program beginning at 10:15 p.m. Eastern or 7:15 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
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