SA mare Pretty Punk on track for Adelaide Cup for Morphettville trainer Leon Macdonald

QUALITY mare Pretty Punk will press on to Monday’s Adelaide Cup after a solid track gallop at Morphettville on Thursday morning.

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QUALITY mare Pretty Punk will press on to Monday’s Adelaide Cup after a solid track gallop at Morphettville on Thursday morning.

Hall of Fame trainer Leon Macdonald had been in two minds about starting the gutsy four-year-old in the $400,000 Group 2 staying test after a lengthy campaign that already has netted wins at Morphettville, Flemington and the Hobart Cup two starts back.

Pretty Punk wins at Flemington. Picture: Joe Sabljak/AAP

“She worked okay this morning. I was happy with her,” Macdonald said. “We had a good look her afterwards and she seems all right.

“We’ll keep monitoring her but at this stage it looks like she’ll probably get there (to the Cup).”

Pretty Punk hasn’t raced since being beaten 1½ lengths when third to Bondeiger in the Launceston Cup (2400m) on February 28.

“It was a funny run race. She probably got too far back,” Macdonald said.

“She did plod a touch the last 50m but I do think that’s probably to do with the big job she’s done this prep.”

Macdonald, who trains in partnership with his son-in-law Andrew Gluyas, is chasing his first success in the state’s most prestigious staying race.

But he concedes the 57kg allotted to Pretty Punk, along with her first attempt at 3200m, both provide significant challenges.

“I do think she’s in the race at least a kilo-and-a-half too heavy,” the trainer said.

“There’s a horse like Exalted Lightning who’s won the Birthday Cup, which is the traditional Cup lead-up, and he’s only got 54.5.

“And the two miles is a query for all of them.

“She’s a tough little thing and she tries her heart out.

“I’m not sure if she can run it, though. I wasn’t sure if she could run 2400m, either.”

He does, however, think Pretty Punk’s barrier eight should give jockey Jason Holder every opportunity to settle in a prime position soon after barrier release.

“She’s reasonably drawn and should get a very good run in the race,” he said.

“She’s got a bit of tactical early speed she can use if she needs it. I’d think she could end up one out and two back or something like that.”

Pretty Punk is rated a $13 chance in latest Ladbrokes fixed-odds markets for the Cup. Lindsay Park mare Fanatic has been steady at the top of betting at $5, with Darren Weir pair Master of Arts ($7) and Ormito ($7.50) also well fancied.

ADELAIDE CUP BETTING

Morphettville, Monday, 4.20pm

$405,000. Group 2. 3200m

$5 FANATIC

$7 Master of Arts

$7.50 Ormito

$8.50 Exalted Lightning

$12 Double Bluff

$13 Pretty Punk, Diamond Grace

$14 Benzini

$15 O’Lonera

$17 Randrops on Roses

$21 Jim’s Journey, Khezerabad

$26 Al Haram

$31 Poppiholla

$34 Like a Carousel

$41 Cuban Fighter

$61 Tunes

$71 Flying Casino

*Ladbrokes fixed-odds market