Australian Racing: Egan to power Feroce to Australian Cup

There's Group 1 action from both Melbourne and Sydney on Saturday, with the richest race of the day coming at Flemington in the shape of the 2025 renewal of the Australian Cup.

The showpiece event of the day at Rosehill is the Kia Tancred Stakes, while they also race at Alice Springs, Ascot, Avoca, Doomben, Gold Coast, Morphettville, Pory Macquarie and Wyong.

Race 8 Flemington

Feroce @ 13.00

Race 8 Rosehill

Dubai Honour @ 3.20

Race 9 Rosehill

Amenable @ 6.00

Feroce to fire in Australian Cup

The previously mentioned Group 1 Australian Cup comes up as the eighth race of the day at Flemington.

A good 4 track is expected for the 2000m contest, with the Ciaron Maher-trained Pride Of Jenni expected to start favourite.

The seven-year-old lost out by a narrow margin when runner-up in this contest 12 months ago and she has registered two wins subsequently, including at Moonee Valley in September.

The mare took out a four-runner renewal of the Group 2 Feehan Stakes over 1600m on that occasion, however, she disappointed on her final two starts that prep.

Craig Newitt was on board when the mare resumed with a comfortable win in the 1800m Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield two weeks ago and she rates highly in this field.

You have to go back to 2013 to find the most recent three-year-old winner of this with Super Cool coming home in front that day.

However, FEROCE has shown good form so far at three, including when registering his first Group 1 victory in the Australian Guineas here at the start of this month.

The pick came home nearly a length clear of his rivals when taking out that 1600m contest, having previously finished third in the 1400m Group 3 C S Hayes Stakes here.

Dominic Sutton’s 13.00 gelding had performed well in Group company last prep including when losing out by a narrow margin in finishing runner-up in the 1600m Group 1 Caulfield Guineas in October.

The selection boasts a good barrier five from the rail here, while he has underfoot conditions to suit, with both previously mentioned Group 1 efforts coming on good going.

Regular rider Billy Egan is again set to ride here and, stepping up in distance his mount, the least experienced runner in the field is taken to register his fourth career win.

Tancred Honour to go to Dubai

The Kia Tancred Stakes, a 2400m Group 1 contest. is set to be held on a soft 5 track as the eighth race of the day at Rosehill.

Vauban is expected to have his supporters for the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott team, having caught the eye in winning first up over 2000m here two weeks ago.

The seven-year-old, strongly fancied when unplaced in the past two renewals of the Melbourne Cup showed good form in staying races in Europe for Willie Mullins last year.

The son of Galiway steps up in grade here, however, the extra distance is a positive, while the gelding has proven he handles wet tracks in the past.

The globetrotting DUBAI HONOUR is preferred in this event, with the gelding set to make his first appearance in the southern hemisphere in nearly two years.

He won both the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes at this track and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in 2023 and he has shown good form over around this distance since.

The 3.20 son of Pride Of Dubai’s efforts in 2024 included a Group 1 win over this trip in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France back in June.

Racing on a soft 6 track that day, the gelding came home nearly two lengths clear of his rivals and he ended last year with a good second in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin in December.

Regular rider Tom Marquand takes the ride for trainer William Haggas, who boasts a near 64% strike-rate (7/11) with his runners at this venue.

Amenable to take Doncaster Prelude

The following race at Rosehill is the 1500m Group 3 Racing And Sports Doncaster Prelude.

The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr-trained AMENABLE takes the eye racing on his home track, with the gelding having performed well at a higher level in 2024.

The five-year-old placed in Group 1 company just under a year ago, finishing runner-up in the 1400m All Aged Stakes at Randwick last April.

The 6.00 selection raced on a heavy 10 track that day and, while unable to build on that with a subsequent win, has recorded two close second-place finishes.

The most recent of those runner-up efforts saw the son of Lonhro narrowly beaten in the 1400m Group 3 Newcastle Stakes at Newcastle earlier this month.

The pick was racing first up that day following a couple of barrier trials at this venue and, with Chad Schofield up, he looks capable of recording a win on his second start back from a spell.