Winner of a restricted class race at the 2017 Cup meeting, No Escape has worked through the grades and recently won twice at Mudgee followed by a big run at $101 at Randwick last Saturday when third to Kaonic and Travencore.

No Escape to be ridden by Chinese apprentice Qin Yong, is yet to be tested over 1600 metres however Terry Croft is hopeful the step up in distance will not be a problem.

Local hopes in the Cup rest with Mister Marmalade owned by Eugowra couple Sally and Lex Crosby.

Trained for the Crosbys by Danny Williams at Goulburn and to be ridden by champion jockey Greg Ryan the  lightly raced Mister Marmalade ran second to Letter To Juliette in the Orange Cup and is fit for Forbes after two lead up runs in Sydney.

Almost a “local” is Cowra trainer Andrew Molloy who has Welcome Art reaching peak fitness for the Cup assignment, with Eleanor Webster-Hawes the jockey.

Several generations of the Molloy family from Forbes have been prominent in racing and very early in his career Andrew Molloy trained Flabbergasted to win a Forbes Cup.

Welcome Art finished fast when a close second to Malverna at Dubbo and last week ran a creditable race in the Cattlemans Handicap at Warren.​ 

Zarlu, 2016 winner and a strong finishing second last year, is being brought back by trainer Peter Morgan for another crack at the Cup and would be well suited by a rain affected track.  

Gentleman Max from the Trevor Sutherland stable at Wagga Wagga is capable of making it back to back Forbes Cup wins while Cowra Cup winner Illyrian trained at Canberra by John Rolfe is another with a good chance.

Hundreds of visitors began arriving in Forbes yesterday including those from major sponsor Bankstown Sports Club and on Sunday night will be at the Forbes Cup Calcutta at the Forbes Services Memorial Club, one of the biggest Calcuttas in New South Wales.

First race on Monday is scheduled for 12.40 pm with big fields in all eight races.

Entry to the race meeting is free but you can donate to Forbes Can Assist at the gate.