The ‘Bool comes to life on Thursday with the Warrnambool Cup Day 2024 card stealing the show in coastal Victoria.
We’re treated to a mixed jump-and-flat racing meet with the hurdle action headlined by the lucrative $400,000 Grand Annual Steeplechase.
The meeting’s marquee event is of course the time-honoured Warrnambool Cup, the now $300,000 Listed feature dating right back to 1873.
It is a bumper 10-race card and below we have our insider Warrnambool Cup Day Tips, Preview & Best Bets to get you on your way!
Warrnambool Cup Day 2024 kicks off with a jumps race over the two miles.
Affluential in gate four with Will Gordon aboard shapes up as the hard to beat favourite despite this being just his second hurdle event.
The in-form Zed gelding is airborne chasing a third win on the trot with all the confidence now having recently broken his maiden status.
He is proven at the 3200m ticking that box in mid-April when enjoying an impressive victory in his hurdle debut with an easy win at Pakenham over the distance.
That was actually his first ever race success at start number 13.
He showed a real affinity with jumps racing without being stretched carting 69.5kg.
Backed-up to post a barnstorming 4.5 length romp home in a flat race at Cranbourne – also a maiden – over 2520m on April 26.
On the quick back-up, fit and firing, well-weighted and well-drawn. Wins.
Like the resuming Mean Feat for Lindsey Smith in this 3YO’s handicap, the Lean Mean Machine gelding looking to fire first-up at double-figures.
He was building nicely last prep including saluting at his third start by an easy two lengths with 58kg over this distance back in November.
That Hamilton win came after two solid runs at this track, including being narrowly denied in a 3YO Maiden over the 1400m on November 2.
Looks more furnished this time in, mid-field gate gives him options and Kerlsey knows the youngster well.
It has been six months between runs so sure to improve on whatever he does, but think he can surprise.
Good field gathered for the third with some nice short-distance types getting around in this.
The best are right up in weight making the better fancied a bit of a query, so looking for each way value have landed on Niccolite with the fitness edge third-up.
Patrick F Ryan Jnr’s Nicconi mare has a good strike rate over the 1100m (10:2-2-1) and won at this track fresh narrowly accounting for Tequila Storm carrying 62.5kg in easier grade.
Went to Ballarat on April 3 and was 4.5 lengths back third over 1000m with 61.5kg on a Slow track making up ground from midfield.
She will relish the extra 100m now and gets in well weight-wise right down to 56.5kg.
Think that will be the factor to improvement.
Top three at least.
Lovely line-up of fillies and mares coming off good runs in the fourth, but believe Unthinkable is the one to beat at a backable price.
She is drawn wider out but has the ability to overcome with Mitchell Freedman’s consistent Churchill four-year-old having her first run since March 8.
Was runner-up at The Valley over 2040m that day behind Lauding off an on-speed run and didn’t stop trying, before which she won over the mile at 20/1.
The 1400m to kick things off again looks ideal.
Freedman has picked the right race to get her in the winners’ circle and Childs is sure to have her right up on speed throughout.
Can sustain.
Another race another underrated double-figure chance with genuine claims!
Makbeel is a Reece Goodwin-trained son of Makfi who looks very well placed to make it back-to-back wins after a 1.5 length success with more weight (60.5kg) over 2025m at Cranbourne on April 19.
Was second at the same track and similar distance the run before coming from well back, but showed really nice improvement in his big last start success.
Stackhouse continues associations, this six-year-old is proven at the distance now, down in weight and can get the job done with a touch of luck.
The Neville Wilson Series Final plays out over 1700m in the sixth and of the capacity field Thunder Point could have their measure again despite a wide alley and 62.5kg to cart around on a likely Soft track.
Blake Shinn has the ride from out in 16 on Symon Wilde’s six-year-old Host gelding who put the writing on the wall saluting in the Warracknabeal Cup over a mile last time out.
Up notably in the kilos now, but has carted plenty of weight to some nice wins earlier in the year so don’t think that is an issue.
He was somewhat disappointing in the Caulfield Country Mile two back fading to run eighth, still only two lengths beaten, but regained confidence last time out.
If Shinn can keep him settled and not over-race from the wide gate, it is an open affair and he’s been kept fresh for this.
The first of the day’s features, the 2024 Grand Annual Steeplechase, steals the show as race seven and there are plenty of quality contenders to consider.
Stern Idol is odds-on favourite at time of publish after winning the J.E.H Spencer Memorial Steeplechase over 3500m with the 72kg on his back last time out.
No doubt that was an impressive effort and he’ll be in the finish again, but third in that race from the same stable was Rockstar Ronnie who will relish this rematch over further.
The Ciaron Maher-trained veteran is a rising 10-year-old, but he continues to show a real zest for racing.
Was well beaten in his April 14th lead-up, but gets the advantage now as one of the few proven at this testing 5500m distance.
A genuine hurdler and dour stayer, think he looks overs to turn the tables.
So Risque is narrow favourite at time of publish and happy to stick with the punters’ pick in the eighth on Warrnambool Cup Day.
Most are resuming off a let up in this 1400m handicap including Lindsay Parks’ consistent So You Think six-year-old.
His first-up record is strong (5:2-1-0), and he is a versatile runner with winning form on everything from Good to Heavy so the track conditions are a non-issue.
The 1400m is definitely his go (15:4-1-3), and he’s been racing in some quality events this year and handling himself well.
Has a place rate nudging on 58% and hasn’t run out of the top three in his past six starts.
Chases his first win since January, but last time out was good with more weight crossing second to Arran Bay on March 2 in a BenchMark 84 at HQ.
That form has been firmly franked with Arran Bay going on to win twice more of late.
Gets every chance from the gate, is proven fresh and is deserving top elect in the markets.
Huge price on Glitter ‘N’ Gold who looks a genuine Each Way shot at a blowout price in the Warrnambool Cup this year.
Lindsey Smith-trained Choisir mare, locally trained and with a strong record at the track (4:2-1-0).
This nicely-bred five-year-old has been building to something big and is out to improve on her fifth to Rolls in this race last year when the event ran on a bottomless Heavy (10) course.
Dual Cup winner since, most recently in the Colac Cup over 2000m in February.
Pakenham Cup fifth two back in ace company over a stretch longer than her preferred before a lead-up placing (3rd) in the Terang Cup.
Wider out, but time to overcome. Can surprise.
Wide open race to close the Warrnambool Cup Day card.
Sticking with the undefeated Skiing, but he will need to be good from the carpark gate.
Comes into 16 of 16 with emergencies out and gets an apprentice claim with Luke Cartwright aboard to help weight-wise.
This up-and-coming Frosted four-year-old has just his third start with the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding two-from-two to date.
Big win on debut in late February then handled a Benchmark58 field at this track with similar weight to win by three-quarters of a length over 1200m on March 25.
A month between that and this, 1300m looks achievable and looks a winning hope again to stay unbeaten even from the alley.