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Early market favourite Spartan Eagle will have to overcome the widest draw after barriers were finalised this morning for Monday’s $200,000 Darwin Cup.

The Bob Richard-trained gelding will be chasing a fifth straight win dominating in the Metric Mile last Saturday against many of the same rivals he faces again here.

Spartan Eagle’s chances took a hit at the Darwin Cup barrier draw when the six-year-old came up with barrier 15.

Host Of The Party sits high in betting as he lines up looking to claim the Darwin Triple Crown and should get all of the favours in transit from barrier 2.

Defending Darwin Cup champion Hawks Bay has drawn just outside in gate 3 with Alice Springs Cup winner The Ruffian to jump from 4.

Betting suggests the 2013 renewal of the Darwin Cup is a wide open contest with ten of the 12 horses in the main field quoted $11 or shorter.

Race 9 - 5:35PM Carlton Mid Darwin Cup (2000 METRES)

Of $200,000.1st $132,000, 2nd $32,000, 3rd $14,000, 4th $11,000, 5th $7,000, 6th $4,000, Starter Subsidy $420

Field Limit: 12 + 3 EM

No Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating

1. HAWKS BAY Neil Dyer Steven Arnold 3 65kg 110

2. RED COLOSSUS John Stanton Dale Smith 7 61kg 96

3. THUMBTACKS (NZ) Mark Nyhan Craig Moon 10 60.5kg 95

4. EXTRA ZERO David Hayes Nash Rawiller 8 60kg 94

5.THE RUFFIAN Sheila Arnold Paul Shiers 4 57.5kg 89

6. CONSTANT FORCE Bill & Symon Wilde Jason Maskiell 11 57kg 88

7. THE BIG STEEL Stephen Brown Andrew Mallyon 12 57kg 88

8. AGRIPPA Michael Hickmott Reece Wheeler 6 56kg 86

9. SPARTAN EAGLE Bob Richard Scott Hillebrand 15 56kg 86

10. BOLTON (NZ) Stephen Brown Stephen Baster 9 55kg 84

11. GENEROUS BEAU Todd Balfour John Powell 1 55kg 84

12. HOST OF THE PARTY Stephen Brown Dwayne Dunn 2 54.5kg 83

13e. IGLES STAR Chris Pollard Ms Felicia Bergstrand (a) 13 54kg 82

14e. PORT VELL (NZ) Greg Connor Ms Kacie Connor (a) 5 54kg 82

15e. PALMYRA BOY Neil Dyer 14 54kg 79