2023 PB Lawrence Stakes Results: Cox Plate Hope Mr Brightside Salutes First-Up
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2024 Australian Cup Field & Betting Update: Pride Of Jenni v Mr Brightside
We may not have a full Australian Cup 2024 field but the line-up is brimming with talent as Mr Brightside and Pride Of Jenni continue their fierce rivalry up in distance at HQ on Saturday.
Last start All-Star Mile winner Pride Of Jenni chases another feature race victory in Melbourne’s 2024 Australian Cup this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Nine of the best weight-for-age performances take to the Flemington track in the time-honoured Group 1 $3 million Australian Cup (2000m) this weekend and punters are in for a stellar showdown.
Currently the Lindsay Park-trained superstar Mr Brightside heads the Australian Cup betting markets at $2.35 through Ladbrokes.com.au to return to winning form and post his third victory from four starts this prep.
He did the Group 1 CF Orr – Futurity double over 1400m at Caulfield first and second-up before he failed to make it back-to-back All-Star Mile victories when beaten two lengths at The Valley over the 1600m.
The ultra-consistent Bullbars gelding, a winner of just shy of $13 million in prize money, now faces his last start conqueror Pride Of Jenni in the Australian Cup field and up to 2000m he is tipped to have her measure despite being yet to win over the distance himself.
Craig Williams retains the ride with Mr Brightside drawn the rails.
Ciaron Maher’s All-Star Mile winning mare Pride Of Jenni is the danger in gate seven paying $3 Australian Cup odds at time of publish to stretch her brilliance over the 400m further now.
Declan Bates continues associations with the six-year-old daughter of Pride Of Dubai who did it easy in the end to win the All-Star Mile after a second narrowly beaten fresh in the Orr.
Her Flemington record is strong with Group 1 wins in the Empire Rose and Cantala Stakes, both over a mile, from the spring.
If she performs up to par the 2000m should be a non-issue making her the value bet over Mr Brightside again.
Third elect in the markets into $6 with genuine claims at the title is the Chris Waller-trained Atishu in gate five with Blake Shinn aboard.
The six-year-old Savabeel mare is two-from-two at the course and distance with impressive victories in the Group 2 Matriarch and Group 1 Champions Stakes to her name.
In the Champions Stakes back in November she won by an easy 1.75 lengths after her second to Pride Of Jenni in the Empire Rose.
Eight in the Orr first-up this prep she returned to her best with a good win here in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) and looks set to peak third-up back up to her pet distance now.
The other single-figure fancy in Australian Cup 2024 betting at $8.50 for the Godolphin stable is the reigning champion Cascadian.
Horse Racing Tip
Cascadian is out to go back-to-back in the Australian Cup for the first time since Harlem (2018-19)
Ben Melham has the ride on the veteran James Cummings-trained nine-year-old who is out to become the first back-to-back Australian Cup champion since Harlem (2018-2019).
Cascadian continues to show a zest for racing and has been spot-on this prep with a solid fourth to Think It Over two back in Sydney’s Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) before his All-Star Mile third on March 16.
The best of the rest and potentially overs at $13 is the Ken & Bev Kelso-trained New Zealand visitor Legarto in gate two with Michael Dee riding.
The four-year-old daughter of Proisir has won nine of her 14 starts including the 2023 Australian Guineas at Flemington as a three-year-old last autumn.
Her recent form this campaign back home has been strong including a Group 1 2000m victory in the Herbie Dike and second when narrowly beaten as the odds-on elect at Ellerslie over the same distance in elite company last start which she is out to atone for this weekend back down under.
The 2024 Australian Cup is scheduled as Flemington Race 8 at 4:15pm (AEDT) on the Easter Saturday race card in Melbourne with full markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.
2024 Australian Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 111222×112 | MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Craig Williams | 1 | 59kg | 118 | ||
| 2 | 5213x7x943 | CASCADIAN (GB) | James Cummings | Ben Melham | 8 | 59kg | 114 | ||
| 3 | 60x02295x2 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O’Brien | Billy Egan | 9 | 59kg | 106 | ||
| 4 | 23x2319x46 | DOM TO SHOOT | Sean & Jake Casey | Mark Zahra | 6 | 59kg | 109 | ||
| 5 | 0311632×31 | YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Damian Lane | 3 | 59kg | 106 | ||
| 6 | 8x48109x03 | ESTI FENY (HUN) | Matthew Smith | Jamie Mott | 4 | 59kg | 91 | ||
| 7 | 8x62611x21 | PRIDE OF JENNI | Ciaron Maher | Declan Bates | 7 | 57kg | 118 | ||
| 8 | Px52021x81 | ATISHU (NZ) | Chris Waller | Blake Shinn | 5 | 57kg | 114 | ||
| 9 | 1x310x1212 | LEGARTO (NZ) | Ken & Bev Kelso | Michael Dee | 2 | 57kg | 112 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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