The Moonee Valley Gold Cup continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the path to the Melbourne Cup, and this year’s edition could again have major implications for the famous staying test at Flemington.
While it’s rare for a horse to capture both races in the same year, the 2500-metre Moonee Valley Gold Cup has traditionally served as an important stepping stone for Cup hopefuls. The race now carries even more weight, with the winner earning an automatic ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (3200m), run on November 4. That makes it one of the final key qualifiers alongside Thursday’s Geelong Cup (2400m).
Four horses had been entered for both Cups, though connections of Gilded Water and Changingoftheguard opted for Geelong, leaving a 12-horse field for Friday night’s Moonee Valley feature. All but Berkshire Breeze and Hezashocka remain in contention for Cup berths, with Smokin’ Romans already assured a start. Onesmoothoperator currently sits 24th in the order of entry, Athabascan 25th, while Post Impressionist and Scary are at 30 and 31 respectively.
Final Melbourne Cup acceptances close next Saturday, with all runners subject to veterinary clearance by Racing Victoria stewards. Ciaron Maher, who won last year’s Moonee Valley Gold Cup with Okita Soushi before that galloper placed third in the Melbourne Cup, will again be represented — this time by Smokin’ Romans and Berkshire Breeze. He had also nominated Gilded Water but redirected him to Geelong.
Smokin’ Romans, a Group 1 Turnbull Stakes winner in 2022 and a recent Warrnambool Cup victor, is enjoying a strong spring. “He just continues to wind back the clock. He’s in as good a form as ever,” Maher said. “He carried a stack of weight last time and ran very well. Again, the race was probably run too slow for him — he just couldn’t get that momentum, even though he was leading. He’s in good order and has good form at Moonee Valley.”
Stablemate Berkshire Breeze, though not entered for the Melbourne Cup, looms as a strong chance on Friday after finishing second to Half Yours in the Naturalism Stakes and sixth in The Bart Cummings. “He’s got it there to run well. He needed to draw well and (barrier) six looks ideal,” Maher said.
For the latest Moonee Valley Gold Cup odds and Cup betting updates, visit Australia’s leading betting sites.