| What | Cranbourne Cup Day 2021 |
| Where | Cranbourne Turf Club – 50 Grant St, Cranbourne VIC 3977 |
| When | Saturday, November 13, 2021 |
| First Race | 12:35pm AEDT |
| Feature Race | Listed Cranbourne Cup – Race 7 |
| Watch Live | |
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Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
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A nine-race card is scheduled for Cranbourne Cup Day on Saturday afternoon, and HorseBetting.com.au’s Victorian horse racing analyst presents his best bets and free quaddie selections for the meeting. The track is rated a Soft 6, with the rail true from the 1600m-1000m and then out 3m for the remainder of the course. Racing is set to get underway at 12:35pm AEDT.
Cranbourne Cup Top Tip – King Magnus
The feature event at Cranbourne on Saturday is a 1600m affair with a $500,000 prize pool. Having gone within 0.8 of a length of winning the Cantala Stakes on October 30, King Magnus is the one we want to be with. Having blown the start in the Cantala, the six-year-old son of Magnus loomed up as a winner inside the final 200m but ultimately peaked on his run late and finished fifth behind Superstorm, Icebath and Cascadian. With three wins and three second-place finishes from six starts on Soft ground, and with a few of his rivals struggling with the sting out of the ground, King Magnus should prove too hard to hold out.
Cranbourne Best Bet – April Rain
The Chris Waller-trained April Rain was one of the sickest beats during the Melbourne Cup Carnival when finishing ninth in the HKJC Plate on November 2. Having settled midfield with cover, the five-year-old Pierro mare saw no daylight in the home straight and hit the line under a hold with plenty left in reserve. She heads to Cranbourne looking to right those wrongs, and with Damian Lane on board from barrier three, she looks to be the clear best bet of the day. In the small field of 10, we expect Frosty to have his mount settled in the second half of the field, where she can gallop in clear air. When asked for an effort in the home straight, April Rain should be far too good for these.
Next Best Bet at Cranbourne – Mankayan
The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Mankayan is a perennial non-winner, but we expect the Irish import to bring up his first win in Australia this weekend. With three consecutive runner-up efforts to his name, he is surely due a win, and a 0.75-length defeat to Great House in the Hotham Handicap is the form we want to be with in the third leg of the quaddie. From barrier eight, with Josh Richards claiming 3kg, we expect the son of Intello to roll forward and dictate terms with 57kg on his back. Mankayan clearly has the class in the field, and with a 4:2-1-1 record on Soft tracks, we know he will handle the ground and should prove hard to run down over 2500m.
Best Value Bet at Cranbourne – Naval Envoy
In the final race of the day, we anticipate the Danielle Loos-trained Naval Envoy can go one better than his second-place finish in the Grey BM90 at Flemington on November 2. The five-year-old Smug gelding had kicked clear by three lengths in the home straight and looked to have the race in his keeping before Excelman launched late to edge him out by a half-length. He draws barrier one on Saturday, and with Craig Newitt on board and speed drawn outside, we expect Froggy will have him settled just off the leader’s heels. With even luck in the home straight, Naval Envoy will be too hard to hold out.
Saturday quaddie tips for Cranbourne Cup Day
| Cranbourne quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1-2-4 |
| Leg 2: | 1-10-11-13 |
| Leg 3: | 2-8-9 |
| Leg 4: | 1-3-5-8 |
| Investment: | $144 for 100% |