Australian Cup Tips & Preview 2023

Looking for Australian Cup tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 Australian Cup at Flemington.

AUSTRALIAN CUP BETTING SNAPSHOT

Cascadian heads the market with Palmerbet at the $4.20 quote ahead of Mo’Unga and the last start Australian Cup Prelude (2000m) winner, Right You Are, at $7.50. Another last start winner is Nonconformist, who is $8 after his eye-catching win in the Blamey Stakes (1600m). 

Steinem is one of three contenders for the Maher/Eustace stable and is at $11, while Emissary ($15), Numerian ($16) and Bank Maur ($16) follow. Hezashocka at $21 heads the rest of the 16-horse field and the three emergencies. 

AUSTRALIAN CUP FORM ANALYSIS

Cascadian is on the short back up after finishing runner-up in the All-Star Mile and produced the fastest last 400m in that race to go 14 lengths faster than standard benchmark. His peak figure came when third up at his last preparation, going 14.8 lengths faster than standard benchmark when claiming the Hill Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on a Heavy deck. 

The eight-year-old has performed solidly off short breaks in the past and was runner-up in the 2021 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington after running 4th in the then Cantala Stakes (1600m) the week before. 

Love what Right You Are has been doing of late and the Maher/Eustace galloper has risen to every challenge that the stable have thrown at him. He comes in with the best last start benchmark figure of any runner, going 14.7 lengths faster than standard when claiming the Australian Cup Prelude (2000m) on February 11. 

Five runners come out of that race. The others are Emissary (3rd), Yaphet (5th), Regal Power (7th) and Marocchino (10th). They went hard early on in that race and Right You Are did well to keep going. Emissary should improve from a fitness point of view and just peaked on his run late. 

Five runners were in action in the Blamey Stakes (1600m) the week before and it was a big first up win by Nonconformist, who cleared to a two length margin ahead of Pounding. The Grahame Begg gelding went 13.1 lengths faster than standard benchmark and gets to the 2000m. The others to come out of that race were well beaten and will need to show improvement. 

Mo’Unga was outdone in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill last weekend. He is a hard one to deal with as he always races well but seems to find one or two better. I am happy to pass but he is a must for exotics. 

Two that come out of the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Sandown are Steinem and Numerian. Steinem claimed that race, going 12.8 lengths faster than standard at what was her first run since a couple of excellent performances at Ascot in Perth last December. Numerian settled just off the hot tempo and stuck on well at his first start since last year’s Melbourne Cup. 

Smokin’ Romans gets out to the 2000m for the first time in this preparation. He was a massive improver on benchmark figures when third up in the spring to score at Caulfield over the 2000m before claiming the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at the track and trip. 

We see two horses aged three in this year’s edition of the Australian Cup. They are Bank Maur and Virtuous Circle. Both bring a bit of X-factor. Bank Maur claimed the Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) last weekend, while Virtuous Circle was an unlucky 8th in the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington back on March 4. 

AUSTRALIAN CUP TIPS AND BEST BETS

I was keen on Right You Are but the Maher/Eustace galloper has been scratched. Cascadian and Mo’unga are the big names but I wouldn’t mind having something on Virtuous Circle as well. He was hampered in the straight in the Australian Guineas but flashed late behind Legarto. His best performance came at this stage last time when runner-up in the Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) and I like the fact that the stable didn’t push on to the Victoria Derby (2500m). That decision might pay dividends come Saturday.