Wednesday's Apiam Bendigo Cup is one of the best editions of the feature race in recent years.
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A quality field of 16 plus two emergencies accepted for the $400,000 Group Three event, including three local gallopers - Super Girl, Silent Command and 2018 Cup winner Red Alto.
After winning the Cox Plate with import Sir Dragonet on Saturday, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable will chase another feature race win.
Their consistent stayer Lord Belvedere opened $5 equal favourite for the Bendigo Cup alongside Irish stayer Pondus and AJC Derby runner-up Zebrowski.
Pondus, trained by Joseph O'Brien, didn't fare well at the barrier draw and will start from the outside barrier.
Pondus and fellow Bendigo Cup runners Azuro and Haky are still in the hunt for berth in next week's Melbourne Cup.
They would need to win the Bendigo Cup impressively and earn a heft weight penalty to force their way into the Melbourne Cup field.
Leading trainer Danny O'Brien and champion hoop Damien Oliver will combine with $6.50 chance Saracen Knight.
The Josh Julius-trained Super Girl is the highest-rated runner of the three locals.
After finishing third at Caulfield last start, Super Girl opened at $23 with the TAB.
The six-year-old mare hasn't run a poor race this campaign, but was yet again unlucky at the barrier draw.
"Barrier 15 is not great, but hopefully we can position up closer than we did in the Bart Cummings and see what happens from there,'' Julius said.
"It doesn't help your cause when you draw a wide barrier, but that's racing.
"As Danny O'Brien said last week 'barriers are much overrated or discussed as to why horses win or don't win races.'
"She's in the race to win it, so we'll see how we go."
The Nick Smart Silent Command is the outsider of the field at $126, while the Brent Stanley-trained Red Alto needs a scratching to force its way into the final field.
Bendigo-based WA jockey William Pike will ride Zebrowski for team Hawkes.
The nine-race card starts at 12.30pm on Wednesday, with the final event at 5.20pm. The Cup is race seven at 4pm. The general public is not permitted to attend the track because of COVId-19 restrictions.
Bendigo Cup field:
- Haky (8) Jamie Kah
- Lord Belvedere (3) Mark Zahra
- Pondus (18) Damian Lane
- Inverloch (2) Michael Dee
- Azuro (4) Luke Currie
- Zebrowski (16) William Pike
- Furrion (6) John Allen
- Princess Jenni (11) Jye McNeil
- Silent Command (17) Will Price
- Midterm (1) Patrick Moloney
- Good Idea (12) Michael Poy
- Masaff (16) Michael Walker
- Saracen Knight (7) Damien Oliver
- Super Girl (15) Jordan Childs
- Jack Regan (9) Zac Spain
- Realm Of Flowers (5) Billy Egan
- Red Alto (10)
- Lofty Heights (14) Harry Coffey