Tancred Stakes: Cleveland to serve it up to Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip

THE reigning Melbourne Cup winner and a top-line international raider have been forecast to duke it out in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

Form analyst Michael Sharkie believes Irish galloper Cleveland, trained by Joseph O‘Brien, can win the $1.5 million 2400m event at his first run in Australia.

But he is wary of last year‘s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip if the track is wet.

"European horses have a great record here – European visitors – first up in Australia., particularly at the Sydney carnival," Sharkie told this week‘s episode of Punters Inside Run.

"Cleveland was favourite for the Melbourne Cup last year, for most of the year, but he didn‘t make the trip. He comes this year for the Tancred and then the Sydney Cup.

"Kerrin McEvoy said the horse has been going really, really well – he has been doing a lot of his trackwork – and if it is OK for Kerrin, it‘s OK for me."

Gold Trip is a $4.40 favourite with Betr for the race, while Celevalnd is rated $6.50. Montefilia is second favourite at $5.50.

"With a wet track on the horizon, I think Gold Trip will be licking his lips," Sharkie said.

"I‘ll be backing Gold Trip as well, so if he wins, I won't be losing on the race."

Punters Inside Run host Matthew Campbell has tipped Knights Order on top from Gold Trip and Cleveland.