The Group 1 Australian Cup is the headline act on Saturday’s 10-race program at Flemington.
A small field has accepted for the final Group 1 of the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival, but there’s no shortage of talent with All-Star Mile winner’s Pride Of Jenni and Mr Brightside lining up, alongside last year’s winner, Cascadian.
Riff Rocket is out for a Group 1 double on the back of last week’s Rosehill Guineas success, while talented Kiwi raider Legarto has arrived on Australian shores fresh from his runner-up effort in the Bonecrusher over the same journey.
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It’s shaping to be a memorable edition of one of our greatest staying races, and there’s a case to be made for almost half the field.
For our thoughts on this year’s Australian Cup, read on below.
Suggested Betting Strategy
- 1 Unit Atishu E/W
- 1 Unit Cascadian
The Australian Cup is the race Atishu has basically had her in sights ever since she won the Champions Stakes over the same track and distance last November.
The talented Kiwi mare has been difficult to get a read on in two runs this prep, beaten 6.5 lengths first-up in the C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield where she got right back in the run and never fired a shot.
Chris Waller stepped back a level three weeks later, lining her up in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes over the mile where she flexed her muscle over the final furlong off a nice cozy ride in transit under Blake Shinn.
The decision to bypass races like the All-Star mile is noteworthy, and with a good gap between starts now, I think she’s here to add a fourth win on her home track at a very likeable price.
This is almost an identical setup to the one that saw Cascadian win by three quarters of a length last year.
Godolphin’s three-time Group 1 winner rocketed home with an eye-catching turn of foot to run third in the All-Star Mile a fortnight ago, a big effort from the old boy after spotting the rest of the field a start once the barriers opened.
He was seen doing his best work down the outside where he was beaten three lengths by Pride Of Jenni, another encouraging performance after being held up badly the run prior in the Verry Elleegant.
The stable has taken a more patient approach with his runs spaced over the lats 12 months, but the son of New Approach will still run fitter for his past three attempts this prep.
Unlike last year, he’s enjoyed an extra week between runs, and with plenty of likeable form over 2000m, the step up in trip looks ideal now.
Ciaron Maher has opted to have a crack at 2000m with All-Star Mile winner Pride Of Jenni.
The dual Group 1 winner was sensational a fortnight ago, leading all the way where she kicked two lengths clear to gap Mr Brightside in what will arguably go down as the best win of her career.
Maher has admitted the rise in trip is a risk, but she does have experience over further having finished down the order on a very wet day at Randwick over this distance range last autumn.
Like always, she’ll try her guts out up on the speed, and by all reports, she’s recovered nicely for her effort two weeks ago.