Alalcance rockets to Sydney Cup favouritism with display of speed and stamina to crush her rivals in Manion Cup at Rosehill

Co-trainer Adrian Bott sent out an ominous warning that Alalcance isn’t at her best trip yet moments after her dominant all-the-way win in the Manion Cup at Rosehill.

Tim Clark rides Alalcance to a dominant win in the N.E. Manion Cup at Rosehill. Picture: Getty Images

Alalcance ran her rivals ragged with an exciting display of sustained speed and stamina at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Alalcance producing an outstanding staying effort to thrash her rivals in the Group 3 $250,000 N.E. Manion Cup (2400m).

After setting a solid tempo in front, Alalcance and jockey Tim Clark made the race a true staying test before the Irish import careered away to win by more than four lengths.

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So impressive was Alalcance, she vaulted to the top of betting at $5 for the Group 1 $2m Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on April 12.

“She’s incredibly brave, she’s tough and she can stay all day that’s her asset,” Bott said. “She just keeps bowling along and keeps picking up.

“We haven’t really got her to her best trips yet, either. We’ve got her set for the Sydney Cup, so we are looking forward to testing her over that two miles because once she gets into that rhythm, she just keeps going.”

Alalcance ($3.30 favourite) led throughout and romped away to win by 4¼ lengths from Athabascan ($5) with Strathtay ($18) a nose away third.

That's a dominant win to Alalcance in the G3 N E Manion Cup! 🏆@GaiWaterhouse1 | @clarkyhk | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/Tw4azFjHl2

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 22, 2025

Clark, who wore the famous Tulloch Lodge racing colours of royal blue and green stripes, said Alalcance “obviously has good staying ability”.

“She’s got unlimited stamina and takes a little bit of time to get into gear early, but when she’s there, she just flips on the cruise control and away you go,” he said.

“I think she might need a penalty in the Sydney Cup to get my weight, or I might have to start dieting, one of the two.”

Alalcance has 50kg in the Sydney Cup but is eligible for a penalty for her Manion Cup win.

Bott said Alalcance will have her next run in the Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Royal Randwick on April 5 and then go into the Sydney Cup.

Originally published as Alalcance rockets to Sydney Cup favouritism with display of speed and stamina to crush her rivals in Manion Cup at Rosehill