3 minute read

We head to the synthetic at Devonport for their feature meeting, highlighted by the Devonport Cup.

The first of the Tasmanian Cups this season as we head to Devonport over the 1880m with a nice open betting race, Alpine Wolf heading the Ladbrokes market at $4.50.

He comes through the Sheffield Cup at Devonport over 1650m and whilst he didn't win, he was back near his best, running to 99 with Timeform, posting the highest rating in the race by five pounds given he carried 2.5kg more than the winner Hype, whom he was only a nose behind.

At the weights this time around that sees him come out the highest rated horse, narrowly ahead of Swoop Dog, who beat him by a nose in this race last year yet has drifted out to $6 with Ladbrokes.

Alpine Wolf carried 1kg less than Swoop Dog last year and just missed in a driving finish, however this year he will carry 3.5kg less than Swoop Dog, who posted his best rating this preparation last start in the Tasmanian Stakes.

He led the field there and was only overrun very late in a bunched finish by First Accused with Indispensable and The Inevitable very close up behind.

At weight-for-age there, he ran to 102 with Timeform, five pounds higher than his rating when winning last year's Devonport Cup.

There clearly isn't much between the two, and the weight swing on last year's result is notable, but I do think Swoop Dog is the horse better suited to 1880m than Alpine Wolf, whose best ratings have come over 1400-1600m.

Others in the field are racing well and coming off wins, including Sir Simon, Miss Charlie Brown, Ashy Boy and Three's A Crowd.

Of those, Miss Charlie Brown narrowly brings the best last start rating ahead of Sir Simon, who beat her two starts ago, but ratings in the mid 80s are approximately 3 lengths off what will be required to win this and at single figures for three of the four mentioned, they are easy to pass over.

Kaptain Kaos has bits of form that would be competitive in this but is very hit-and-miss with two ratings in the past year that would go close in this but a month between runs and a first go at Devonport are easy enough to oppose.

I'm happy to side with the top weight Swoop Dog to go back-to-back. He's up in the weights from last year but still rates highly and I think he's better suited rolling out in front over 1880m than the main danger, Alpine Wolf.

Also on the card is the Ladbrokes Carpet Charge over 1009m where there's very little between last year's winner Turk Warrior and Bello Beau, who rightly occupy the first two positions in the Ladbrokes market.

If there were to be an upset, Galenus might be the one at $9.50, who is certainly capable on his day and whilst poor in this race last year, he's suited to the short trip and can get into the finish at each-way odds.
 

Devonport Cup Tip

#1 Swoop Dog at $6 with Ladbrokes*

*Odds correct at 12:40pm, 9/1/23