$500,000 goes on the line in Country Victoria on Saturday with the running of the time-honoured Ballarat Cup.
Sometimes it’s an afterthought, but the 2020 Ballarat Cup field is packed full of talent and we are set for a terrific betting race.
I’ve run the rule over the lot, and you can find my 2020 Ballarat Cup tips below.
Ballarat Cup – Winner
No. 3 Kings Will Dream – Bet Now: $9.00
He probably isn’t quite what he was last spring, but Kings Will Dream has continued to return competitive efforts this campaign, and the Ballarat Cup looks a winnable race for him.
The Group 1 winner resumed with an eye-catching performance for third in the PB Lawrence at Caulfield, and while he didn’t have an impact in either of the Makybe Diva nor the Turnbull, was far better in the Crystal Mile last time out.
He is at peak fitness for this contest, I think the 2000m will be ideal at this point of his preparation and as long as he handles the heavy weight, I think he’ll be in the finish.
Ballarat Cup – 2nd
No. 11 Odeon – Bet Now: $11.00
He doesn’t win out of turn, but Odeon also rarely returns a poor effort, and he is sure to produce another tough performance in the Ballarat Cup.
The Zacinto gelding needed the run when he finished at the tail of the field at The Valley when fresh, but he has made four competitive appearances in the wake, placing in the Cranbourne Cup and the Cup Day Plate at his last two.
He gets in well under the conditions of this race and importantly, he has drawn well into a field whereby many of his leading rivals have drawn poorly.
Ballarat Cup – 3rd
No. 10 Affair To Remember – Bet Now: $5.00
Affair To Remember has found peak form in time for another big effort in the Ballarat Cup.
The Toronado mare has been a terrific horse for the Dan O’Sullivan yard since making her racing debut and enters this race with a handsome record of four wins and five minors from just fifteen starts.
She has continued to improve with racing this time and as the bar has been raised, culminating in an eye-catching win in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes last time, beating home the likes of Paradee and Toffee Tongue.
The booking of Mark Zahra is positive and with even luck, she’ll take plenty of beating on Saturday afternoon.
Ballarat Cup – 4th
No. 4 Junipal – Bet Now: $5.50
Junipal has returned to the races in typically strong form this time and he’ll take plenty of beating in the Ballarat Cup.
The Reset gelding recorded consecutive wins at The Valley and Caulfield three and four starts back, finishing down the order in the Toorak Handicap, but striking again with a dominant performance in the Group 3 Sandown Stakes last weekend, beating home a strong field.
I like that he’s on the short back-up, gets further out in trip, and he’s another runner that will just need some luck early on to be fighting out the finish.
Ballarat Cup Suggested Bets
- 2 Units straight out #3 Kings Will Dream
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections above