2024 Pakenham Cup Day Tips & Preview

Lazy Susan has been given an extra week between runs after originally being prepared to race on the Heath track at Caulfield last Saturday.

The Capitalist mare was a distant two-length runner-up to Isthmus three back at Sandown over 1000m, form that stacks up with that same mare coming out and winning the Group 3 Begonia Belle earlier this month.

Her most recent effort saw her finish midfield behind the talented Niance, a run she’s been kept fresh for with a good two-month break between.

The gate is a slight issue again, but if she presses forward early and races on speed under Craig Williams, she could be right in this. 

Sweetheart presents fitter third-up for Phillip Stokes coming off back to back place efforts at Kilmore and The Valley.

The tight turns never really suited her last time out where she spotted the rest of the field a huge head starts, but there was also a lot to like about the way she made up ground from the wide barrier at the turn.

Given a nice three-week gap between runs with Daniel Steakhouse retaining the ride with 1kg off, this daughter of Brave Smash appears well-placed to hand in a similar effort.

Samangu has her sights set on a hat-trick now for Grahame Begg.

This smart mare by Written By has gone to another level as a four-year-old, holding her rivals at bay to win her maiden by two lengths fresh at Ballarat earlier in October.

She was given a five-week freshen-up before stepping up to BM64 grade on the Heath track at Caulfield earlier this month, booting clear along the rail to win nicely again under Jordan Childs.

Fitter now third-up and drawn a perfect gate, she’ll be very hard to catch if she settles up on the speed again.

Willing to give the Ciaron Maher-trained Flamin’ Romans another look in his Pakenham debut.

Still lightly-raced for a five-year-old, the son to Group 2 winner Ghibellines was only fair to the line at Caulfield late last month, a run that could be worth forgiving considering he drew another wide gate and was stepping up sharply in distance to 2400m.

He’s had a horror run at the barriers over his last few starts, but did win nicely there back at Caulfield before going on to run a place at Headquarters on Oaks Day.

With that run over 2400m under his belt, he should see out the extra trip back on a dry track from a perfect gate.

Saban just needs to slot across from the wide gate to be a factor under Linda Meech.

Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman’s four-year-old is deep into his prep, last seen sticking to the task for third at Caulfield on a rain-soaked track for third.

Winning his maiden over 2000m earlier in May, this slight rise in distance looks ideal as he prepares to make his home track debut carrying 2kg less.

Running By might be one of the better bets on the program racing off a six-week gap between runs.

The filly by Impending was an impressive winner on Oaks Day at Flemington, storming home from midfield to claim the Inglis Bracelet by 1.75 lengths under John Allen.

Ciaron Maher’s five-year-old has been given a nice trial between starts to keep her fresh and there’s no question she’ll handle 1400m with good form to her name over the trip.

Bigolino is in with a chance in a wide-open race over the mile.

The six-year-old out of the Patrick and Michael Payne stable has been around the mark in both runs back this prep, conceding only late fresh at Wodonga before just missing out on a place last start at Ballarat where he led for most of the way.

Two of his five career wins have come at this stage of his prep and he does look suited on another dry track, providing he finds some early luck from the gate.

Arkansaw Kid is competing with the winkers back on following a handy three-week gap between runs.

The Hayes-trained four-year-old has been in work for a while but has held his form nicely with his runs spaced across Victoria and Melbourne over the spring.

The son to Harry Angel ran fourth in his first attempt over 1400m at Caulfield in last year’s Blue Sapphire Stakes and was again in the money last start over the same track and distance where he lapped up the bottomless track to finish second in a ding-dong battle to the line.

Returning to a dry track won’t hurt his chances, and with Blake Shinn sticking in the saddle from the middle gate, the pair should be right in this if they get a nice cart into the race from midfield.

Vow And Declare has gone up a decent price given he’s racing on fresh legs after competing in much tougher contests than this through the spring.

Granted, the former Cup winner has featured in the money since he won the Tatt’s Cup at Eagle Farm during the winter, but with form around Deny Knowledge and last fortnight’s Ballarat Cup winner Berkeley Square, he does tick a couple of important boxes.

The wide gate will pose a challenge for Craig Williams, who has no shortage of experience in the saddle aboard the nine-year-old.

Still, the fact he’s had a trial between starts is a big plus and he shouldn’t be troubled by 2400m fresh from a seven-week break.

Sir Atlas is open to natural improvement second-up for Lindsey Smith.

The Irish-bred gelding was beaten only half a length fresh from a lengthy 36-week spell at Ballarat two weeks ago, which came as no surprise given he indicated he was ready to rock and roll in the jumpouts leading in.

Unbeaten second-up and likely to get right back off the speed under the wide gate, he should be able to make his presence felt in the late stages with enough luck.