The time-honoured Ballarat Cup is always one of the highlights this time of year as a capacity field of stayers step out over the 2000m on Saturday with $500,000 in prize-money on the line.
Back to back champion Kiwia is hoping to make it three Cup wins in a row, but he appears to have his work cut out against a quality field featuring Kings Will Dream, Junipal, Affair To Remember and Plein Ciel.
You could easily make a case for a handful of these runners, so be sure to read our entire 2020 Ballarat Cup Preview below.
So Si Bon
The Lindsay Park trained So Si Bon is racing on the short backup after winning the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1800m) right on the line last week at Sandown ahead of Power Scheme and Homesman.
The son of So You Think has been charged with the top weight of 62kg, while the short turnaround does look a nice option for him after winning the Vobus Gold Mile at Caulfield during the Autumn off a similar setup.
He’s placed twice in six starts over the 2000m previously and jockey Damian Lane should have options available to him from the rails draw.
Harlem
Harlem hasn’t found the winner’s circle since he won the Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington last year.
The Lindsay Park raider has mixed his form since then, but there has been a bit to like about his last two runs when second in the Group 3 Coongy Cup and fifth last start in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m).
The top weight and the wide barrier hurt his chances significantly, but with three wins to his name over this trip, he might figure somewhere inside the top four at best.
Kings Will Dream
Kings Will Dream strips fitter for his last start in the Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley where he stuck on well for third in the small field of five.
The old boy is up to winning a race of this quality if he produces his best, but considering he was outclassed over this distance two runs back in a much tougher race like the Turnbull, he remains a place chance carrying 61.5kg.
Junipal
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have chosen to bypass The Gong at Kembla Grange in favour of the Ballarat Cup on Saturday.
Junipal is racing on the short backup after winning last week’s Sandown Stakes (1500m) by over a length, but he does remain a slight query here over the 2000m where he’s raced only once previously.
Kerrin McEvoy is more than capable of offsetting the wide gate though, and the short backup does look a great option for him ahead of his grand final.
Al Galayel
Al Galayel rattled off a hat-trick of wins to start his Spring prep winning back-to-back handicap’s at Moonee Valley and Caulfield before winning the Group 3 JRA Cup at The Valley in September.
His latest effort when sixth in the Group 3 Coongy Cup was far from his best, but he’s worth forgiving with Ben Melham retaining the ride.
The Maher and Eustace-trained seven-year-old doesn’t mind getting back and running on from a wide gate, so barrier 10 might suit him just fine.
Kiwia
Kiwia is hoping to make history on Saturday by becoming the first horse to win three straight Ballarat Cup’s.
Not surprisingly, John Allen is booked to ride, but he appears to have more work cut out than he’s used to based on Kiwia’s latest efforts.
The son of Reset has found the money in only one of his five starts this year, while his performance in the Listed Cup Day Plate at Flemington a fortnight left a lot to be desired when finishing 10 lengths off the winner.
To make matters worse, Allen has drawn out wide in barrier 17, leaving the pair with plenty of work to do in the early stages.
Pacodali
It’s been over 12 months since Pacodali found the winner’s circle and he appears tested heading into a race of this magnitude.
The Irish raider finished ninth two runs back in the Listed Cup Day Plate at Flemington and failed to show any real improvement when seventh last week in the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.
He has won previously on the short backup, but this looks a little beyond him off recent efforts.
Inverloch
Inverloch won the Group 3 Easter Cup at Caulfield during the Autumn but hasn’t returned the same horse this time in work.
He wasn’t far off Irish Flame two runs back at Moonee Valley, but looked outclassed rising in grade when 14 of 15 last start in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m).
Getting back to the 2000m is an obvious plus, but he probably won’t find this any easier.
Plein Ciel
Despite not having won a race since June, Plein Ciel has been a consistent customer of late.
The Danny O’Brien import found the money three runs back in the JRA Cup at Moonee Valley before running back-to-back fifth’s in the Listed Cranbourne Cup and Cup Day Plate.
Plein Ciel was a non-factor in this race last year finishing third-last from out ide, but with an inside draw to his favour and some much more consistent form leading in, he could be worth a shout each way.
Affair To Remember
Affair To Remember flew home to win the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) by a nose at Flemington a fortnight ago and is more than up to winning a race like this with Mark Zahra on board.
Dan O’Sullivan’s four-year-old has won two of his last four starts and gets in well at the weights carrying only 56kg.
Gate 9 should suit his running style and he should be doing his best work late.
Odeon
Odeon has made real headway towards another win finding the placings in the Listed Cranbourne Cup and the Cup Day Plate heading into his Ballarat debut.
He was far from his best when last first-up at Moonee Valley, but has since turned things around to produce some real consistent efforts throughout the Spring that suggest he could play a major part in Saturday’s race.
The seven-year-old has found the money in six of his 11 starts over the 2000m and has drawn to get a lovely run just off the speed under Daniel Moor.
Our Big Mike
Our Big Mike was the surprise winner of the Listed Moe Cup (2050m) two runs back where he was paying 15-1 on the rain affected track.
The New Zealand import failed to fire last start when nine of ten in the Kyneton Cup though where he struggled under the heavy weight on the firm track.
He’d probably like a little more sting out of the ground on Saturday and is tipped to struggle again.
Furrion
Furrion hasn’t looked like winning a race since he took out the Listed Warrnambool Cup last year.
He’s failed to finish inside the top ten in all four of his runs this Spring and is unlikely to figure again.
Game Keeper
Game Keeper won four races in a row across Morphettville, Gawler and Flemington during the Autumn but has struggled to repeat that same form during the Spring.
He found the money when fresh at Flemington in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star back in August, but left a lot to be desired over further in the Naturalism and The Bart Cummings.
The son of Fastnet Rock gets the blinkers off on Saturday, but probably won’t find this any easier.
Double You Tee
Double You Tee has returned to the races in great order finding the placings in three of his four runs since August.
The son of Written Tycoon finished second in this race last year behind Kiwia and is set to peak again on Saturday after running on for their last start in the Kyneton Cup.
He doesn’t win out of turn, but could be worth a look in the minors if Billy Egan can offset the wide gate.
Power Scheme
Power Scheme handled the step up in class nicely last week running a bold second to So Si Bon in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown where he was beaten by no more than a nose.
Before that, he won back-to-back starts at Benchmark level and there is everything to suggest he’s looking for the 2000m now on the short backup.
The son of Fiorente could easily win a race of this quality, but unfortunately, barrier 20 makes life difficult for Melbourne Cup winning jockey, Jye McNeil.
Irish Flame
Irish Flame has won each of his last two starts by narrow margins at Moonee Valley and Flemington and would need luck to go his way as the first emergency.
Mongolian Marshal
Mongolian Marshall won the Listed Kyneton Cup a fortnight ago. He would need to go to another level to win a race of this quality as the second emergency.
Knights Order
Knights Order remains the third emergency in the 2020 Ballarat Cup.
Paradee
Paradee remains the fourth emergency in the 2020 Ballarat Cup.
Ballarat Cup Tip
7 Pacodali at $15.00
