| What | Ballarat Cup Day |
| Where | Ballarat Turf Club – 240 Kennedys Rd, Miners Rest VIC 3352 |
| When | Saturday, December 9, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:10pm AEDT |
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Visit Dabble |
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The $500,000 Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) is the feature event on a bumper 10-race program in Victoria’s Central Highlands this Saturday. The rail is out +2m from the 400m to the winning post, then sitting true for the remainder of the course. There are some scattered showers forecast in the region, so punters may want to anticipate a possible downgrade into the Soft range at some stage.
Ballarat Cup Tip: Foxy Cleopatra
Foxy Cleopatra’s connections have opted for Ballarat over the Ingham Stakes or the Santa Cup at Randwick this weekend. The daughter of American Pharoah finished runner-up in both starts to kick off the campaign, with the latest coming in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) behind Charterhouse on November 25. She is set to peak third-up, and with the 2000m seemingly ideal for Foxy Cleopatra, watch for her to be storming home to pick up career win number two.
Ballarat Cup
Race 8 – 
#8 Foxy Cleopatra (12)
4yo Mare | T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | J: Craig Williams (54kg)
+500 with Neds
Best Bet: Shohei
We are willing to forgive Shohei after a lacklustre first-up performance at Rosehill on November 4 when returning from a 217-day spell. Her lack of race-day fitness showed and she was clicked up a long way out by Jay Ford to stick on for a mid-field finish. Her best performance to date came on the anti-clockwise circuit at Bendigo in the Gold Bracelet (1400m) back in April behind Foxy Frida, and if she can hold that form on Saturday, Shohei will take a power of beating.
Best Bet
Race 4 – 
#7 Shohei (5)
5yo Mare | T: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | J: Jye McNeil (57kg)
+380 with Bet365
Next Best Bet: Divine Purpose
Formerly trained by Clinton Taylor in Queensland, Divine Purpose made a strong debut for the Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman barn at Caulfield on November 18 and was unfortunate not to salute. The mare by Divine Prophet closed off heels and was forced to chase in limited space along the inside rail, so she did well to run second. Carlee Hefel sticks aboard in this BM78 contest, and although Divine Purpose may be better suited over further, she is capable of winning at the mile.
Next Best
Race 6 – 
#16 Divine Purpose (9)
4yo Mare | T: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman | J: Carleen Hefel (a1.5kg) (54kg)
+280 with BoomBet
Best Value Bet: Alhambra Lad
Nothing went to plan for Alhambra Lad at Caulfield first-up on November 18, as the son of Proisir missed the start in what ended up as a glorified barrier trial over 1600m. The six-year-old is a genuine stayer, confirmed by his run of four-straight victories over 2000m or further last campaign. Billy Egan will press forward from barrier six and has the option to lead if he wants to, and from there, Alhambra Lad will give a bold sight at an each-way price with online bookmakers.
Best Value
Race 5 – 
#1 Alhambra Lad (6)
6yo Gelding | T: Patrick Payne | J: Billy Egan (61.5kg)
+1600 with Bet365
Ballarat Cup Day 2023 quaddie tips
Ballarat quadrella selections
Saturday, December 9, 2023
- 3-6-8-10-12
- 1-8
- 3-8-9-11
- 1-6-8-10-12-14-16
| Copy this bet straight to your betslip
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