Moonee Valley Gold Cup Friday Night Tips Preview

Moonee Valley Gold Cup Friday night: feature race tips and previews

MOONEE VALLEY GOLD CUP - 2500m, Moonee Valley R7

The Moonee Valley Gold Cup has moved to the Friday night of Cox Plate weekend, and taken over from the Manikato Stakes as the feature race of the evening. It gives the stayers on a Melbourne Cup path their final hit-out before tackling the big one.

It’s an even enough field on ratings alone this year, but for a number of horses it’s been quite a while since we’ve seen their best form, others have produced the occasional good run, but only a precious few have been consistently trustworthy.

Lunar Flare is the favourite, running in her third Gold Cup after winning it in 2021 and finishing second last year. While on those two occasions she was coming into the race off a win, this time around she is coming off a fifth placed run in the Turnbull Stakes, arguably the equivalent if not better. We’ve already seen Gold Trip and West Wind Blows come out of that race to run top three in the Caulfield Cup.

Lunar Flare is a very good stayer, having had four wins and two placings in the 2400m-2800m range across her career, and we’ll see if she still produces her best now as an eight-year-old.

The 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare, who has only won one race since then, could be knocking on the door of another after his fast-finishing second to Alligator Blood in the Caulfield Stakes last start. The brutal tempo of the race helped him show his stamina late in the piece, and now he gets up to a true staying trip. He’s not badly in at the weights, but surprisingly for an eight-year-old he is having his first start at the Valley.

Future History is in good form for the Maher/Eustace camp; they always seem to have a lightly-raced stayer improving through the spring, building to a big run in the Melbourne Cup. He won the Bart Cummings last start, securing his placed in the race that stops a nation – he did have every favour and a gun ride from a cosy barrier on that day, but has drawn stickily now.

Athabascan was three lengths behind Future History in the Bart Cummings, having gone back to the tail from a wide gate. He now meets that horse 2.5kg’s better at the weight, and has drawn the inside to get more favours this time. He’s rock-hard fit and is in great form.

Interpretation put in a similar run to Athabascan, but has drawn poorly again. Still, he progressive enough to win too. Cleveland looked the winner up in Sydney last start, but may have been a bit weak late, or perhaps was just beaten by a good horse with a lighter weight. El Bodegon ran third in the Cox Plate last year but hasn’t fired a shot since – he could be a blowout danger getting back to the Valley, although you’d want big odds.

Selections: 1.Athabascan 2.Lunar Flare 3.Vow And Declare 4.Future History

Cameron rose's Tip

ATHABASCAN

EACH-WAY

Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup 27 October 21:15

4. Athabascan

Win

Place

* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check Playup Website For Latest Odds

JRA CUP - 2040m, Moonee Valley R6

The JRA Cup has often thrown up an upset result over the years, and has knocked out many a punter from the Friday night quaddie. It has now moved to Cox Plate weekend, having been previously run on AFL Grand Final eve.

Looking for some value, Bank Maur looks over the odds at a double figure quote. He won at this track and distance earlier in the year, and has been taking on the best of the best this campaign, dropping back several levels into this.

Bank Maur was beaten three lengths by Mr Brightside first-up and four lengths by Alligator Blood second-up, horses that are well in the market for the Cox Plate. If they were in this race, you’d expect them to put similar margins on this field. He dropped out of the Turnbull last time, after riding a brutal tempo – at the very least that should have brought along his fitness considerably.

Ain’tnodeeldun is the fit, in-form horse that has started winning in 2023, after a year or two in the wilderness. There was very little between him, Forgot You and Sibaaq at Sandown earlier this month, and the three of them will be relying on luck and momentum at the right time. Forgot You simply loved the Valley as a three-year-old.

Brayden Star has been up longer than Stonehenge, but just keeps running well at this distance range. He didn’t have many things go his way in the Herbert Power last start, but may also have struggled to fully get 2400m? A drop back in distance suits.

Shaiyhar is good enough to win on his day, and also drops back in trip after a couple of runs at 2500m. The last time he was seen at a mile and a quarter, admittedly in lesser grade, he romped away with a five length win.

Red Sun Sensation creates a little bit of interest in an even race, and should be peaking third-up out to 2040m now. Up in distance and down in weight can often be a good combination.

Selections: 1.Bank Maur 2.Brayden Star 3.Forgot You 4.Ain’tnodeeldun

Cameron rose's Tip