Utgard Loki a cup chance

Justin Warwick’s five-year-old gelding Utgard Loki has drawn barrier eight ahead of Saturday’s Perth Cup. The Myalup-based trainer boasts the only South West-trained runner in the Group 2 event and will be hoping for his third Perth Cup winner after Black Tycoon (2014) and Material Man (2018). The biggest question mark on Utgard Loki will be its staying power, having faded in the last 200m to finish second in the ATA Stakes over 2200m on Boxing Day and having not run the full 2400m since April 2019. Warwick’s daughter Lucy will have the ride, having taken the reins back prior to last Saturday’s meet. Bunbury jockey Kyra Yuill also has a Perth Cup ride on Freez’emoff, who she rode to Geraldton Cup success back in April. The six-year old Graeme Hammarquist-trained mare has an indifferent form line coming in, having finished no higher than seventh, including a ninth place Tattersalls Cup finish, in three starts since a spell. Having won traditional lead up races The Kingstown Town Classic (1800m) and Ted Van Heemst Stakes (2100m), Truly Great retained favouritism despite drawing barrier 12.