Who will reign supreme in the Cranbourne Cup?

Inevitably, the comedown after the Melbourne Cup is being felt across the Australian horse racing community but the Cranbourne Cup always gets punters and online betting sites going again. 

A race that has been tweaked in the calendar, the Cranbourne Cup carries a A$500, prize pot and is another big draw for owners and trainers alike. 

Whilst it doesn’t get the prestige of some other races with Victorian bookmakers, the Cranbourne Cup is an important contest in the Australian horse racing schedule. 

The 2023 edition of the race promises to be another battle of epic proportions, with plenty of big horses in contention, making it a very difficult one to call for both punters and Aussie bookmakers. 
 
More Euphoria? 

Despite being a relatively lightly raced 4-year-old, Euphoria seems to have been one of the biggest stories of the Australian horse racing landscape in 2023. 
 
Picking up impressive wins in Group 2 contests, Euphoria looks to be a very versatile horse but there is no dispute that the 1600m trip looks to be the ideal distance. 
 
Fresh off the back of an impressive 2nd place finish at Flemington a couple of weeks ago, Euphoria has impressed punters and bookmakers with equal measure, and it is the hot favourite for Cranbourne Cup glory, with a variety of Aussie bookmakers. 
 
Serious challengers lie in wait 

For all the conjecture and talk around Euphoria, there is a feeling amongst the Australian horse racing community that it is a supreme talent, which is yet to fully demonstrate its potential. 
 
With that in mind, the next two horses in the betting ring look have all the credentials to win a race with the magnitude of the Cranbourne Cup. 
 
Foxy Cleopatra has only raced 5 times but has a superb 80% placing record and the calibre it has been rubbing shoulders with has been mightily impressive. 
 
Having Craig Williams on board as jockey is a huge tick in the box too for Foxy Cleopatra, who should relish the speed on offer over 1600m. 
 
Meanwhile, Just Folk comes into this race at the other end of the spectrum, having completed over 30 competitive races at the age of 7. 
 
Recent showings at Moonee Valley made Just Folk look a little leggy but a return to faster ground and a mile trip should be a match made in heaven and whilst there are claims for plenty, Just Folk should certainly have a say in this one if things go to plan. 
 
International Challengers 

Such is the prestige that the Cranbourne Cup holds within the racing community, that yards from all over the world want to have their horses in contention for the big race. 
 
Hailing from New Zealand, Here to Shock will be out to do just that in this one. The experienced 6-year-old has shown enough throughout its career to suggest that it should love the conditions here in the Cranbourne Cup, despite not looking to be a natural fit to the 1600m distance. 
 
Elsewhere, British offering Ascension will be out to prove a point, having made relatively slow progress since heading to Australia. 
 
Having Harry Coffey on board could prove to be a key differential but with so much racing potential, who knows how far Ascension could go, especially in a contest as open as this. 
 
The crowds should be out in force once more at Cranbourne, for another epic installment of the Cranbourne Cup, with heaps of fantastic horses battling it out for glory.  

A race often a little overlooked, the Cranbourne Cup is back in 2023 and once again, a stellar field has been assembled for one of the showpiece events at the Victorian track. 
 
Topping the betting is Euphoric, a seriously quick horse but with the likes of Just Folk, Here to Shock and Ascension in the mix, it promises to be another memorable Cranbourne Cup this year.