The time-honoured Australian Cup is always a highlight of the Autumn Carnival, and it’s one of two enormous Group 1 feature races at Flemington on Super Saturday.
It always draws a talented group, but the 2022 Australian Cup field is the strongest for some time in my opinion, and boasts the likes of Cascadian, Think It Over, Spanish Mission and plenty more winning chances.
Check out my complete 2022 Australian Cup Tips below.
Suggested Bets
- 5 Units straight out #3 Spanish Mission
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections below
Australian Cup – Winner – No. 3 Spanish Mission
I thought his first-up run in the Carlyon Cup was excellent, and I’ve got Spanish Mission on top in the Australian Cup 2022.
Spanish Mission was an above-average stayer for leading UK trainer Andrew Balding throughout the early stages of his career, and he announced himself to the Australian racing fraternity with an eye-catching run for third in the Melbourne Cup.
His transfer to the care of Peter Moody already looks to be paying dividends, and back to Flemington, I think that this is the perfect race for him.
Australian Cup – 2nd – No. 2 Think It Over
He is one of my favourite horses currently in work, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Think It Over named the 2022 Australian Cup winner.
Think It Over has been a star for Kembla-based horseman Kerry Parker since making his debut, but it is fair to say that he went to a new level last autumn, winning the George Ryder Stakes most notably.
He didn’t manage to claim another Group 1 title during his spring prep, but Parker’s placement was genius, and the horse did repay the faith with three-consecutive lucrative wins.
So far this time, he has won the Apollo Stakes, finishing fourth in the Chipping Norton, and he’s ready to hit peak form third-up and over 2000m.
Australian Cup – 3rd – No. 1 Cascadian
He takes his place in the Australian Cup field following a win in the traditional lead-up race, and Cascadian is another horse that can win Saturday’s feature.
Cascadian has always hinted at top-level ability since arriving in Australia, but he too finally began to find his best in 2020, and he won a strong edition of the Doncaster Mile in the autumn.
He raced consistently in the spring, and he looks to have returned to the races in excellent form again, highlighted by his win in the Peter Young Stakes a fortnight ago.
Australian Cup – 4th – No. 10 Maximal
This is something of a speculative selection, but I am very keen to see what Maximal can do on an improved track, and out to 2000m.
The well-bred import stamped himself as one to watch with some bold efforts around some of the world’s best horses in the UK, and he arrived in Australia to finish a credible sixth behind I’m Thunderstruck in The Golden Eagle.
He didn’t beat a runner home in the Apollo Stakes when resuming, but Hugh Bowman retains the ride this week, and he should prove far more effective under these conditions.
