We have analysed every horse in the field and our 2018 Grafton Cup tips can be found below.

Montauk

Montauk won the Summer Cup at the end of last year, but he hasn’t been able to return to those heights during his Autumn campaign. Chris Waller sent him to Melbourne to try and find a winnable race for him and he wasn’t overly impressive. Add in the fact that he has drawn barrier 20 and he does look a touch under the odds at his current price of $7.

Jumbo Prince

It has been a long time between wins for Jumbo Prince, but he has raced fairly this preparation. He wasn’t beaten far against some quality gallopers in the Hollindale Stakes and he was tough in the Tattersall’s Cup. You can expect Jumbo Prince to run his usual honest race, but I’m not sure that he has the same level of upside as some of the leading contenders.

Anton En Avant

Anton En Avant has been something of a revelation during his Winter campaign. His win at $80 in the Chairman’s Handicap looked like a win at the time, but he has since finished second in the Brisbane Cup. His last start effort in the Tattersall’s Cup was disappointing and that suggests that he may have had enough this campaign, but his Brisbane Cup performance puts him right in this race.

First Crush

First Crush has been building towards a race win and he is the horse to beat in the Grafton Cup. He finished second in both the Ipswich Cup and the Caloundra Cup and there are few horses in this field that are fitter. Mark Du Plessis will be able to settle him in the first half of the field and it would not surprise to see him produce a career best performance.

Sayed

Sayed is the x-factor in the Grafton Cup. On his best form, he does have a genuine edge over the rest of this field, but he goes into this contest on the back of a very poor effort in the Winter Cup. He has also recorded only one win from his past 11 starts and the wide barrier draw is far from ideal. That means it is tough to get him as short as his current price and I am happy to take him on.

All In Vogue

All In Vogue is a horse that has struggled badly for consistency since arriving in Australia. She ran well in the Ipswich Cup, but he was very poor at Doomben last start and it is tough to back her off that performance. In saying that, she does map to get a nice run in transit and the $21 does appear over the odds.

Tumultuous

Tumultuous scored an upset win in the Magic Millions Trophy in January this year and it is fair to say that now looks like a genuine spike performance. He hasn’t really fire a shot in any of his race starts during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and he was particularly poor when he finished at the tail of the field in the Ipswich Cup.

Chillin With Dylan

Chillin With Dylan is one of only three last-start winners in this field after he won the Grafton Cup Prelude last Thursday. The Grafton Cup Prelude is rarely a particularly good guide for the race itself and this is a fairly large step-up in class. He received a dream run in contest from gate one in that contest and he won’t get that in the Grafton Cup.

Loving Home

Loving Home is another horse that comes out of the Grafton Cup Prelude, but he was handily beaten by Chillin With Dylan. It is very tough to see him turning-the-tables on his rival and he is one of the outsiders for a reason.

Miss Dubois

Miss Dubois has raced fairly without ever looking like a winning chance in the Chairman’s Handicap, Ipswich Cup and Caloundra Cup. She is unlikely to be disgraced, but the likes of First Crush and Anton En Avant do look to have her covered.

Reneged

Reneged stamped himself as a potential Grafton Cup contender with his win at Canterbury last start and he is one of only a few horses in this field that have any real upside. In saying that, he would still need to go to another level to be a genuine chance in this contest and the 2350 metres is a huge question mark. $7.50 is rock-bottom odds.

Collaboration

Collaboration was poor in the Grafton Cup Prelude and he does look outclassed at this level. The Halling gelding is unlikely to be a player.

Fuerza

It has been a long time between wins for Fuerza and he is another horse that comes off a fairly lacklustre effort in the Grafton Cup. He isn’t up to a race of this quality at this stage of his racing career.

High Degree

High Degree will likely loo to cross the field from the wide barrier draw and she should ensure that the race is run at a genuine tempo. She was fairly tough in the Caloundra Cup and there is no doubt that she likes these staying trips. I’d would be surprised if she won, but definitely isn’t the worst option for exotics.

Jack Strikes Back

Jack Strikes Back was gallant in the Grafton Cup Prelude and is another horse that will likely roll across from a wide barrier draw. He is a genuine stayer that will run out the trip strongly, but he probably doesn’t have the class to win a race of this quality.

Cut The Mustard

Cut The Mustard has recorded two wins on the trot at Tamworth, but this is a huge step-up in class. She could run better than her odds suggest, but she would require huge improvement to be a genuine winning contender.

Husonique

Husonique is the first emergency in the Grafton Cup field and requires a scratching to earn a start. He isn’t any worse than some of the other horses in this field, but isn’t a winning chance.

Latino Lover

Latino Lover was very poor in the Grafton Cup Prelude and at this stage looks unlikely to earn a start.

Winkler

Winkler would be better than a $126 chance if he did get a start in the Grafton Cup, but that looks very unlikely at this stage.

His Kyllachy

His Kyllachy failed to beat home a runner in the Grafton Cup Prelude and has never seemed to settle in Australia after starting his racing career in the United Kingdom.