2024 Cranbourne Cup Day Tips & Preview

Great little race to start the day with a case to be made for a few of these. 

Bridal Waltz continues to race well for Peter Moody, winning back to back starts to open her prep, before running on late at Flemington last start in the Group 3 Red Rose Stakes.  

The daughter to Snitzel shifted in down the straight, a move that likely cost her a stride or two when beaten three-quarters of a lengthy by Amelita.  

Drawn a nice soft gate and stepping back in class, she looks one of the top contenders to knock off the favourite.  

Mount Rinjani was well-backed second-up at The Valley, living up to market expectations when he went on to win his maiden by three-quarters of a length. 

A three-year-old son to Grunt, Peter Moody’s gelding was given a 10/10 ride by Luke Nolen, who got back and found cover early before making his move out wide heading into the turn. 

From there, the pair raced away for a comfortable win, one they can only build on with the wide gate potentially setting up for a similar run in transit.  

The Genius gets Blake Shinn in the saddle for the first time looking to build on a solid effort for fourth last start at The Valley.  

Ciaron Maher’s stayer has found the winner’s circle on four occasions from 16 starts, including here at Cranbourne where he overcame a wide run to win first-up from a spell.  

The son of So You Think was racing off a four-week break last start, so I’m keen to see him out to a bigger track with improvement to come over further.  

Drawn well and proven over 2500m in the past, this sets up as another winnable assignment. 

Alectrona is second-up for Tony and Calvin McEvoy. 

The mare to The Autumn Sun has been given a good gap between runs after placing third at Bendigo on return, a race she could have easily won if she wasn’t held up badly over the final stages. 

She’s mixed her form second-up but does look suited sticking to 1300m with Harry Coffey sticking in the saddle from another perfect gate. 

With some decent form on her resume at Caulfield last time in work, she’s more than up to winning a race like this if she finds clear air when it matters most. 

Lazy Susan has made only three starts despite returning to the races in early September. 

She was going great guns before she ran into trouble from out wide at Caulfield last start in the Alinghi Stakes, forced to settle in the back half of the field where she was eventually beaten just over five lengths.  

This is a step back in terms of class, and a race not that dissimilar to the one she won at The Valley the start prior.  

In well with the claim and drawn to get all the favours back off the speed, she should be bouncing back to her best. 

Ambassadorial is an honest type that rarely does much wrong. 

The Waterhouse-Bott four-year-old featured in the money again last start at Rosehill, leading his rivals into the straight where he was eventually beaten just over a length by the impressive State Of America. 

Keep in mind he faced a very wet track that day and torrential rain, so this return to a dryer surface is a big plus.  

With 2.5kg off under Beau Mertens, the wide gate is really the only concern. 

KONASANA bounced back with a handy performance for third last start at Flemington.  

A change of tactics proved the trick with James McDonald settling third off the speed, working into the straight nicely where he closed the gap and was seen doing his best through the line.  

Damian Lane takes over from a tricky gate, but with some likable third-up form, he should be strong in the finish again with more of a patient ride off the speed. 

Baraqiel should have a class edge over most of these after finishing midfield in the Champions Sprint a fortnight ago.  

The six-year-old son of Snitzel weakened when something was asked of him at the 200m mark, but keep in mind he was mixing it with the likes of Giga Kick and Bella Nipotina that day. 

His previous win at The Valley in the McEwen was something else, given a patient steer out wide into the home turn before taking over and giving nothing else a chance down the straight. 

Back a level now, I think he’ll have a bit on the rest of these. 

Von Hauke is an intriguing runner going around at good odds in the feature. 

Cliff Brown’s five-year-old hasn’t won a race since he took out the G3 Shaftesbury Avenue at Flemington over the autumn, but he could run a sneaky race here at odds having competed in tougher races than this recently. 

The son of Savabeel loomed up like he was about to challenge last start in the Toorak Handicap, but he never really hit top gear when he was seen throwing his head around and fading badly along the rail. 

That said, his effort in behind Plenty Of Ammo the run prior at The Valley was sound, and those two efforts over the mile should top him off nicely for this. 

Back a level, hard fit with four runs under his belt, and carrying only 55kg, he’ll be in this for a long way. 

Oh Too Good should live up to her namesake in a field that lacks a bit of depth. 

The mare by All Too Hard was unlucky not to make it back to back wins in the Country Cup Final a couple of weeks ago where she found genuine excuses out wide after copping some interference. 

Back a level and unbeaten over 1500m, she’ll take a power of beating if she rolls forward early with plenty of fitness now on her side.