Tancred Stakes Tips & Preview 2024
Australian Cup Tips & Preview 2024
Looking for Australian Cup tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2024 Australian Cup at Flemington.
AUSTRALIAN CUP BETTING SNAPSHOT
Mr Brightside and Pride Of Jenni renew hostilities after some memorable contests against one and another and it is Mr Brightside that is a $2.40 favourite with PlayUp in his quest to turn the tables on the recent All-Star Mile winner, who is at $3.
Atishu gets out to the 2000m for the first time since her win in the Champions Stakes (2000m) victory at the track and trip last spring and is a $6 chance, while the 2023 Australian Cup winner, Cascadian, is at $8.50. The Kiwi galloper, Legarto, is at $13. Vow And Declare and Young Werther are both at $26, while Dom To Shoot ($61) and Esti Feny ($126) round out the field.
AUSTRALIAN CUP FORM ANALYSIS
Pride Of Jenni is two from three in battles against Mr Brighside and they include her last start win, as well as the Champions Mile (1600m) victory at Flemington last spring. The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper reeled off some staggering early splits in the All-Star Mile on March 16, going 23 lengths faster than standard benchmark until the 600m before eventually winning by two lengths. She went 19.5 lengths faster than standard overall, which is a better figure than what any horse in this race has produced.
The six-year-old has had just one start over the 2000m battling into 8th on a Heavy track at Randwick a year ago. But the late maturer is clearly better than what she was back then and will strike a drier track on Saturday. She comes into this third up and should have plenty left in the tank. Mr Brightside is fourth up and at this stage of the spring he was runner-up in the King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, before going 17.7 lengths faster than standard when just missing in the Cox Plate.
Atishu is capable of upsetting the two fancied runners in the market and will bide her time just off the speed. The Chris Waller mare took out the Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington at her most recent start, going 8.8 lengths faster than standard. She is capable of raising the bar and went 12.2 lengths faster than standard when winning the Champions Stakes. The daughter of Savabeel likes Flemington and is unbeaten in two goes at the track and trip.
Cascadian has won two of four at the track and trip and will appreciate a solid tempo ahead of him. The nine-year-old produced the fastest last 200m in the All-Star Mile and is worth a bit of thought, despite getting on in age.
Hard to make a case for some of the other runners. Legarto is a star in New Zealand and was a Group 1 winner two starts ago before missing out behind El Vencedor as a $1.20 favourite last time. He did have a five-length gap on the 3rd horse but the jury is out for mine.
Young Werther has ran some excellent races in Group 1 company at Flemington over the 2000m and comes off a dominant last start win in the Australian Cup Prelude (1800m). Vow And Declare can stay all day and gets a hot pace up in front. He might be one to include in exotics. Dom To Shoot and Esti Feny will find this hard.
AUSTRALIAN CUP TIPS AND BEST BETS
Going with Pride Of Jenni in the Australian Cup. She can prove that her All-Star Mile win was no fluke and I am banking on her running out the 2000m. There is no obvious leader outside of her. Mr Brightside is likely to play his usual stalking role, while Young Werther and Vow And Declare are likely to settle handy. The others like to get back. Pride Of Jenni will bowl along and trusting that Declan Bates to rate her perfectly out in front so she can stretch out over the 2000m.
