Underrated Monegal to tackle TAB Canberra Cup

A brilliant winner in the Affinity Electrical Technologies Canberra Mile, Monegal will push on to the Listed TAB Canberra Cup (2000m) in search of some well earned black-type.  

The Teresa Bateup-trained mare is regularly underrated by the market and has gained a reputation of regularly saluting at odds with her past four victories coming at odds of $13, $18, $17 and $31. While underrated by the market, she certainly isn’t in the Bateup stable.  

“She really deserved to win a race like this” Bateup said of Monegal’s almost 2 length victory in the Canberra Mile. “She always seems to go around at a big price but she proved how good she is on Friday. She is as honest as they come” 

While Monegal is yet to taste victory at 2000m, Bateup is confident that she can be a major player in the TAB Canberra Cup. 

“She’s maybe gone to 2000m at the wrong time in her previous preps, she’s been a bit unlucky too.  

“She has a fourth in a Taree Cup at 2000m as well as a close finish behind Think It Over which definitely reads well now.” 

Monegal has gained exemption for the ballot for the TAB Canberra Cup alongside the second placegetter in the Canberra Mile, Five Kingdom. Five Kingdom has been a brilliant edition to the Matthew Dale stable and represents a genuine chance of keeping the Cup local for the just the second time in the past 10 years.  

Racing returns to Thoroughbred Park for two massive days of racing across the Canberra Racing Carnival (Sunday 13 & Monday 14 March).