Weekly preview / Andy Morris / 09 December 2009 / Leave a comment Bet Now

Victoria star Smoken Up was given the coveted inside barrier for Friday night's $400,000 Group 1 SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup, when the draw was made yesterday, writes Andy Morris.

Trainer and driver Lance Justice will have been delighted with his draw for the race, run for the first time at Tabcorp Park.

Finishing second in the Miracle Mile, the gelding also finished second to Robin Hood in the Victoria Cup two years ago.

Among other entrants with an excellent draw are last year's Watpac Inter Dominion and BIG6 Hunter Cup winner Mr Feelgood, in two, while Blacks A Fake, the Australasian prizemoney record-holder and winner of this race in 2006, has three.

Melpark Major in good condition

Melpark Major, who won from gate one last year - making it four wins in 13 years that the gate has produced a winner - has this year drawn barrier five.

Trainer Alan Tubbs reckons Melpark Major is in fine fettle, and was delighted with his fifth placing in the Miracle Mile.

Monkey King, fresh from winning the Miracle Mile and going for a fourth consecutive Barastoc Grand Circuit win, was given gate 13, seriously hampering its chances.

But there will still be good support for the Kiwi raider, and he cannot be dismissed.

Bettors Strike has strong claims

Bettors Strike, given a run courtesy of a ballot-exempt win in the Cranbourne Cup, will still be strongly fancied despite drawing gate nine, second from the inside on the back row.

Washakie, winner of last Saturday's Treuer Memorial, and veteran Queensland millionaire Be Good Johnny, who won this race four years ago, are also in the race.

The night also features the $50,000 Aldebaran Park Bill Collins Trotters Sprint, another Group 1 race where all bar the last placegetter (La Mosca) from Friday's Australian Trotting Grand Prix will back up.

Tough task for Sundons Gift

Sundons Gift aims to continue the form shown in that race, and go better in this race than last year's third placing, but faces a tough task after drawing barrier 10 - three horses wide on the second row.

Skyvalley will have the best claims after landing gate three, while Kiwi visitor Springbank Richard has barrier nine and defending champion Will Trapper has a terrible draw in gate 12.