Highlighted by the Group 1 TAB Australian Cup (2000m), the race has attracted form lines from all over the country and abroad. They include All Star Mile (1600m) runner-up Cascadian, the Grahame Begg-duo of Lunar Flare and Nonconformist, who last start won first-up from a spell in the Group 2 TAB Blamey Stakes (1600m)
The Maher/Eustace team have the trio of last start Flemington winner Right You Are, 2022 Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) winner Smokin’ Romans and Group 2 Peter Young Stakes winning mare, Steinem.
Interestingly, eighteen of the past thirty winners of the Australian Cup have run in the Peter Young Stakes in the lead up, seven of those won the race heading into the Australian Cup.
Last start Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) placegetter Mo’unga is engaged for trainer Annabel Neasham, who also has Queensland Group 2-winner Numerian accepted in the race.
Two three-year-olds are in the field including last start Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes winner (2040m) Bank Maur and New Zealand-bred galloper Virtuous Circle, who caught the eye late in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) behind superstar filly, Legarto. Both colts will carry 54.5kg under the weight-for-age scale. The last three-year-old to claim the Australian Cup was the Mark Kavanagh-trained Super Cool back in 2013, you have to go right back to the mighty Saintly in 1996 to find the next previous.
Kiwi mare Campionessa boasts form around some of New Zealand’s best horses including Sharp ‘N’ Smart, Prowess and La Crique. Currently second emergency for the race and connections will be hoping for some scratchings to gain a start in the Group 1. Champion jockey Opie Bosson is engaged to ride the mare.