TODAY’S Penshurst Cup shapes as a fantastic contest, with all nine runners laying claims to taking home the $30,000 feature race.

Strong, even fields are the order of the day, but it’s the cup line-up that will have the club hierarchy smiling.

The field of nine has plenty of quality attached to consistent form from top to bottom.

While the strength of the race looks to lie at the top of the weights, an upset would not surprise from those down the order.

Clever Man is topweight, mainly through his successes in the Mount Gambier and Millicent Cups earlier this year.

Close-up placings in both the Onkaparinga and Casterton Cups rounded out a strong preparation that would see him hard to beat if he can recapture that form.

In two runs from a spell, he has been midfield in the Oakbank and Mortlake Cups, races that will have fitted him out nicely for today.

Trainer, Trevor White, has engaged apprentice jockey, Kristo Sardelic, reducing his weight by two kilograms back to 59kg.

Muntham Missile is in fantastic form, a win at Morphettville followed by another Hamilton Cup and then a strong placing behind runaway Mortlake Cup winner, Holster, last weekend.

Never Again has found form since being purchased online by Pakenham trainer, Reece Goodwin.

Evidence of that was his narrow defeat in the Ararat Cup earlier this month.

That form is very strong and the eight-year-old gelding will possibly start favourite based on that effort.

An interesting runner is Miss Five Hundred, trained by Moe based horseman, Peter Gelagotis.

Second-up from a spell, the seven-year-old daughter of Dundeel is a three-time city winner in Melbourne.

It’s a long trek from Moe, and with a run under her belt, she can figure prominently.

Anirishman won last month’s St Arnaud Cup and is backing up after an even fifth at Moonee Valley last Friday.

He should lead and set his rivals a task to run him down.

A pointer to his chances and that of Never Again, is that rider at his last two starts in Neil Farley has opted for Never Again.

Wayne Walters brings Ali Orphan to the cup with two wins from her last three starts, while Black Syrah and Takumi have Mortlake and Hamilton Cup placings respectively in recent runs.

Andrew Bobbin’s runner, Hendrika, will start the outsider in the race, but does have a Manangatang win to her name three starts ago.

Trying to nail the finishing order, Never Again goes on top from Muntham Missile and Anirishman, with Clever Man and Miss Five Thousand just behind the top trio.

Looking for a winner during the rest of the meeting, Salt Bay should be able to convert two recent Morphettville placings into a win in the BM58 over 1284m.

A slight freshen by trainer Amy McDonald should see the seven year old mare sprint well with comeback jockey, Josh Cartwright, in the saddle.

Clint Marshall will be hoping for a change of luck with Cote Des Bar and Amusing Magnus, two maiden performers ready to win after recent placings.

Both are bold front runners and should figure around a track that plays to leaders.

Local runners include Miss Cavendish and Lunatic trained by Peter Young and David McCabe respectively.

Miss Cavendish has a win and a placing at Penshurst and following a pleasing trial at Casterton last week can figure first-up over 1400m.

Lunatic was a Bordertown winner in July over 1000m, and after an unplaced run at Casterton following a slight freshen can run a place at nice each-way odds.

Jess Constantine and Rebecca Winnell will be watching for scratchings to allow their gallopers a place in their respective races.

Constantine has Lawless and Haarping as emergencies in maiden races, as does Winnell with Final Atom, formerly trained by Paul Preusker.

If you like a jockey challenge punt, Jarrod Lorensini and Neil Farley look to have nice books.

The final event is a reverse ballot race where the lowest rated horses get into the field first, therefore if any of the emergencies gain a run they will be hard to beat.

Good punting.

Morg’s selections

Race 1: Rich Paris, Quick Fingers, Geminga.

Race 2: Amusing Magnus, Wewanda, Dadorable.

Race 3: Cote Des Bar, Glass Slipper, Is It Me.

Race 4: Salt Bay, Let’s Go Letty, Scientific.

Race 5: Perissevo, State Of Maine, Summa Sweet.

Race 6: Princess Pancakes, Miss Cavendish, Lady Annabel.

Race 7: Never Again, Muntham Missile, Anirishman.

Race 8: Lovano, Aeecee Prince, Saucy Deluxe.