The 2020 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes headlines a huge night of racing at The Valley and the field is packed full of quality.
The early money has come for Trekking and he is currently a clear favourite in our Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes betting market.
Can Trekking claim another Group 1 win or will there be a Manikato Stakes upset?
We have analysed every horse in the field and our complete 2020 Manikato Stakes tips can be found below.
Trekking
Trekking is the horse to beat in the 2020 Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes.
He returned to the races with a fast-finishing second in the Moir Stakes and he lost no admirers when he finished fourth behind Classique Legend in The Everest last Saturday.
This a genuine drop in quality and there is no doubt that he is the class horse in this field.
Barrier seven is perfect for him and he should have every possible chance in the run.
Hey Doc
Hey Doc is back for another crack at the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes after he won the race in 2017.
A firing Hey Doc would be right in this contest, but he has raced a little bit flat during his Spring campaign to fate.
Hey Doc had excuses when he finished eighth in the Moir Stakes first-up and he faded late in the Schillaci Stakes.
I’m not sure that he is going well enough to win a race of this quality.
Kementari
Twitter will explode if Kementari is able to return to winning form in the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes!
Kementari loomed up to win the Gilgai Stakes, as he so often does, but he once again was unable to put the race to bed.
I simply can’t back Kementari in any race – let alone one of this quality!
Splintex
Splintex will make his debut at Group 1 level and I would be surprised if he proved good enough to win this contest.
He has been handily beaten in the Concorde Stakes, The Shorts and the Schillaci Stakes and I can’t back him in the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes on the back of that form.
Order Of Command
Order Of Command was beaten as a short-priced favourite in the Testa Rossa Stakes first-up and he failed to beat home a single runner in the Schillaci Stakes.
I can’t back him in the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes on the back of that effort.
Dirty Work
I am keen to oppose Dirty Work in the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes.
He was beaten by the best sprinters in the country in the Concorde Stakes and The Short before he claimed a narrow victory in the Schillaci Stakes.
I’m not convinced by the strength of the form coming out of that contest and I don’t think that Dirty Work is as good as the hype suggests.
He is a horse with upside, but I want to see him do it at this level.
Lyre
It has been a long time between race wins for Lyre and I’m not sure that her breakthrough win will come in the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes.
She was beaten in both the How Now Stakes and the Northwood Plume Stakes and this contest is a genuine step-up in class.
Barrier four is ideal and she will have every possible chance in the run, but I don’t think that she is as good as the likes of Trekking.
Pippie
Pippie is the main danger to Trekking in the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes.
She never gave her rivals a chance when she led from start to finish in the Moir Stakes and I am pleased that she has been kept fresh for this contest.
The step-up to 1200 metres is the question mark and her second-up record isn’t nearly as good as her first-up record, but she will definitely give her rivals something to chase.
Bella Vella
Bella Vella is the value runner in Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes betting.
She showed her Group 1 quality when she won the Robert Sangster Stakes during the Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival and she goes to another level at The Valley.
Bella Vella showed plenty of toughness to win the McEwen Stakes first-up and she wasn’t disgraced in the Moir Stakes.
There is no reason that she can’t be in the mix again at the juicy odds of $14.
Diamond Effort
Diamond Effort is another horse that comes out of the Schillaci Stakes.
You can’t knock Diamond Effort’s record and she has been well-placed by trainer Clinton McDonald during her racing career to date.
In saying that, I’m not sure that she has the quality to win a Group 1 contest and I am happy to oppose the form coming out of the Schillaci Stakes.
Brooklyn Hustle
Brooklyn Hustle could prove to be the x-factor in the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes.
This is the first time that we’ve seen her at 1200 metres since the Coolmore Stud Stakes and I think she has been crying out for this trip.
She found the line nicely in the McEwen Stakes and she was able to run the fastest closing sectionals in the race in the Moir Stakes.
I expect to see her charging home once again in the Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes and this may be her best chance to score a maiden Group 1 victory.
Manikato Stakes Tip
10. Diamond Effort at $9.50