For eager punters looking to start their weekend in style, trackside at Mooney Valley is the place to be on Friday night for the Group 2 Gold Cup.
First staged in 1883, the famous staying event is run over 2500m, and features some talented stayers who will look to back up in the iconic Melbourne Cup come November 7.
Lunar Flare – who won the Gold Cup in 2021 and finished runner-up last year, is the bookies choice at $3.50, slightly ahead of Vow and Declare ($5) and Future History ($7).
For those chasing a bit of value at double figure odds, Interpretation ($11) is a savvy option.
Below is Daily Mail Australia’s runner-by-runner guide to the 2023 Mooney Valley Gold Cup.
Champion jockey James McDonald will be on board Irish stayer Cleveland in the Mooney Valley Gold Cup
1. Knights Order (barrier 7)
Never discount a Group 1 winner, but age may work against him here.
Odds: $26
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
Jockey: Jordan Childs
2. Alenquer (barrier 12)
French-born stayer who is based at Flemington. 2022 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner. Prefer other chances.
Odds: $17
Trainer: Michael Moroney
Jockey: Damien Oliver
3. Vow and Declare (barrier 11)
Favoured by many to take out the Gold Cup on Friday night, despite the testing barrier.
Odds: $5
Trainer: Danny O’Brien
Jockey: Billy Egan
4. Athabascan (barrier 1)
Trainer John O’Shea will relish being an outside chance with the bookies. Looms as a value bet.
Odds: $11
Trainer: John O’Shea
Jockey: Damian Lane
5. Fancy Man (barrier 15)
Last start winner at Eagle Farm on October 7, could surprise.
Odds: $25
Trainer: Annabel Neasham
Jockey: Jamie Mott
Billy Egan will ride Vow and Declare (pictured) and is tipped by many punters to be there when it matters in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup
6. Mount Popa (barrier 5)
Irish stayer who is expected to struggle in this quality field.
Odds: $61
Trainers: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
Jockey: Beau Mertens
7. Future History (barrier 13)
Genuine chance from Great Britain who could topple the more fancied Lunar Flare and Vow and Declare.
Odds: $7
Trainers: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Jockey: Craig Williams
8. Regal Power (barrier 2)
Expected to find the going very tough here.
Odds: $41
Trainer: John Leek
Jockey: Wiremu Pinn (apprentice)
9. El Bodegon (barrier 6)
Another previous Group 1 winner, capable of place finish. Never discount the Chris Waller factor.
Odds: $17
Trainer: Chris Waller
Jockey: Zac Lloyd (apprentice)
10. True Marvel (barrier 10)
Rank outsider in the field, can’t see a fairytale in the Gold Cup under lights.
Odds: $126
Trainer: Matthew Smith
Jockey: Ms Carleen Hefel (apprentice)
Esteemed trainer Chris Waller has two runners in the Gold Cup field – El Bodegon and Sheraz
11. Sheraz (barrier 4)
Making up the numbers in the eyes of many racing identities.
Odds: $31
Trainer: Chris Waller
Jockey: Jye McNeil
12. Cleveland (barrier 9)
Classy hoop ‘J-Mac’ is primed to blitz the field, but the barrier isn’t ideal.
Odds: $7
Trainer: Kris Lees
Jockey: James McDonald
13. Interpretation (barrier 14)
In-form jockey Blake Shinn will have his work cut out here, will need to be a genius ride.
Odds: $11
Trainers: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
Jockey: Blake Shinn
14 Lunar Flare (barrier 3)
Short priced favourite, looks hard to beat, especially if humming towards the winning post. 2021 winner of this event.
Odds: $3.50
Trainer: Grahame Begg
Jockey: Michael Dee
Lunar Flare is the tip of many experts – she also won the Gold Cup in 2021 (pictured with jockey Michael Dee)
15. So Dazzling (barrier 8)
Prefer over a shorter distance, but showed what she is capable of in the Group 1 Australian Oaks in April, finishing second.
Odds: $67
Trainer: John Sargent
Jockey: Dean Yendall
Bet Right CEO Anthony Waller is tipping Cleveland to win under lights in the Mooney Valley Cup.
‘This feature race will be interesting in that it has been moved from its traditional scheduling on a Saturday to now be run under lights for the first time this year,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘The Melbourne Cup aspirations of a number of these runners will be put to the test, with the place getters usually pushing onto the first Tuesday in November.
‘In an even race, the Kris Lees trained Cleveland appeals as the one to beat.
‘Newcastle based, Lees rarely ventures out of NSW, but must be respected and the engagement of leading hoop James McDonald certainly doesn’t hurt.
‘Since arriving in Australia, Cleveland has yet to taste victory, but has been building nicely and will be well suited at the Valley in this Group 2 feature.’
Waller also expects last year’s runner-up Lunar Flare to be in the mix, alongside Alenquer, a previous Group 1 performer in Europe.
Bet Right Selections:
1. Cleveland
2. Lunar Flare
3. Alenquer
