The nine-year-old’s top-weight of 60kg will be offset by the booking of Echuca-based apprentice Rose Hammond.
Hammond’s 2kg claim means Classy Joe will carry 58kg, just three kilograms above the minimum, from barrier six.
Classy Joe, trained by Dan McCarthy, is a 10-time race winner and earlier in his career finished runner-up in the Murray Bridge Cup, third in the Balaklava Cup and fourth in a Benalla Cup.
The track, which was posted a Heavy 10 yesterday following significant rainfall in the area, will suit Classy Joe, a two-time winner on heavy surfaces.
Echuca’s hopes of success rest on the shoulder of Tayne Foster’s Morning Has Broken.
The former NSW mare is in the midst of her first preparation under Foster’s tutelage.
The step up to nine furlongs will suit third-up after appearances at Sandown and Wodonga.
Foster has also elected to claim, booking Hannah Le Blanc.
Shultzy drops back from city company to tackle the Cup for Bendigo trainer Pat Cannon.
The six-year-old has drawn ideally in barrier two and gains the services of jockey Laura Lafferty.
The Cup, which is timed to jump at 4.16pm, is race six on a terrific seven-race program.
One of the moments of the day will come in the opening race.
It is titled the Jack Styring Memorial and honours the outstanding contribution of the late racecaller, who died in February 2022.
Mr Styring, OAM, called 60 Gunbower Cups during his illustrious career, making the Guinness Book of World Records.
His first was in 1952 at the age of 22 and throughout the years became famous for phrases such as “racing with its mouth open like a cod fish calling to its young” and “baring its molars to the breeze”.
The Jack Styring Memorial is timed to jump at 1.19pm.
16°C