Pakenham Cup – 2020

Track: Good to Slow   Weather: Showers

Victorian racing turns to Pakenham this week for their annual standalone Saturday meeting.  The feature race on the card is the Listed Pakenham Cup and 10 horses have accepted for this years edition.  Three of these had their last run in the Group 2 Zipping Classic at Sandown whilst two more come through the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes run on the last day of the Flemington Carnival.

The early favourite is the Sydney sider Attorney.  He worked home nicely on the inside of runners to finish 4th at Sandown last start..  Knight’s Order won in Sydney two starts ago and then finished 4th at Flemington.  An in form Michael Dee will take the ride on him.  The winner of the Bendigo Cup Princess Jenni is another well in the betting.  She has had a month between runs but showed there that she has no trouble running out a strong 2400m so 2500m shouldn’t be a worry for her.

Creedence gets the blinkers back on and draws barrier 1, he is trained by Matt Cumani who is another going well at the moment.  Brimham Rocks has been handed the top weight of 62kg.    He is a very consistent horse that is always there abouts when they cross the line. Scarlett Dream closed off okay from the Sandown Classic and looks well suited in barrier 8.  Haky wasn’t beaten far in the Bendigo Cup 2 starts ago but has struggled outside of that run this preparation.  The remaining runners are longer than $20-1.

1. Brimham Rocks

Brimham Rocks is a consistent type who has finished in the top 3 in 3 of his 4 most recent runs.  If Damian Lane can slot him in somewhere close to the speed from barrier 9 then he will be around the mark again.

2. Princess Jenni

Princess Jenni was excellent winning the Bendigo Cup in late October.  She has been given 5 weeks between runs to get over what was a brutualy run race.  We have seen Pondus frank the form.  She climbs sharply in weight here but if she can redproduce a similar run to that of her Bendigo cup she is right in this.

3. Haky

There is no doubt that Jamie Kah is the in form jockey in Victoria at the moment and a case could be made that Archie Alexander is the most in form trainer.  They team up with Haky.  He was good running 3rd in the Bendigo Cup 2 starts ago and and should get a beautiful run in transit from barrier 6.

4. Attorney

Attorney was a month between runs into his last start at Sandown.  He found himself in a terrible spot last on the fence and did a good job to weave his way through the field to finish under 2 lengths from the winner Sound.  Nash Rawiller takes over from Luke Currie here and he should get a nice run from an inside draw.

5. Creedence

Creedence finished midfield in this race last year.  He has been game in defeat and not beaten very far at his last 3 starts at Group Level.  The addition of blinkers and the booking of Craig Williams may give him in the extra couple of lengths he has been looking for.

6. Our Big Mike

He won the Moe Cup back in mid October.  Has since finished second last and last in the Kyneton and Ballarat Cups respectively.  Couldn’t see him featuring here.

7. Knights Order

Knights Order comes back in trip from a run over the 2800m on Melbourne Cup Day.  He looked a big chance on the turn there before holding on okay to finish 4th in the race.  Will go forward and make his own luck again.

8. Scarlett Dream

Worked home okay in the Sandown Classic but is yet to run a place this preparation.  Prefer others.

9. Northwest Passage

Has contested the Murtoa and Kyneton Cup’s  at his last two starts.  He was safely held in both of those.  This is harder.

10. Red Alto

An improved effort to run 3rd at Ballarat but that was in a much easier race.  Is 2 from 2 at track but you have to go all the way back to 2017 to find these runs.

The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.

Jo’s Tips	Lewis’ Tips
4. Attorney	7. Knights Order
7. Knights Order	4. Attorney
2. Princess Jenni	2. Princess Jenni
5. Creedence	1. Brimham Rocks

Group 1 Kingston Town Classic 2020 (Ascot 1800m)