The bet365 Mildura Cup (1400m) celebrates its centenary this Friday, 19 July, with a field of 12 runners vying to be crowned its 100th winner and collect valuable points in the Victorian Country Cups Series.
The $100,000 contest is the final country cup of the season and is the headline act of the popular two-day Mildura Cup Carnival, which makes its eagerly-awaited return in 2024 after last year’s meeting was abandoned due to the ongoing impacts of the extensive flooding the region suffered in late 2022.
With several of the early pacesetters, including the current series leader Mister Me (Symon Wilde), still enjoying their winter spells, Station One could steal a march on his rivals when he makes his return to the races on Friday.
Liam Howley’s tenacious five-year-old – one of three finalists for the Country Racing Victoria Horse of the Year – has become something of a country cups specialist, having claimed the William Thomson Dunkeld Cup (1800m), bet365 Traralgon Cup (1900m), Massey Ferguson Woodend Cup (1856m) and Bendigo Ford Marong Cup (2200m) in a sizzling spell over the summer and autumn months.
Whilst his victories in both the Woodend Cup and Marong Cup were not eligible for the Country Cups Series, his previous pair of triumphs – combined with minor placings in the Mac’s Hotel Woodford Cup (1700m) and Seppelt Great Western Cup (1900) – saw the son of Toronado leap to the top of the leaderboard.
He was subsequently overtaken by Sungold Milk Camperdown Cup (1600m) winner Mister Me, courtesy of the latter’s placing in the Australian Lamb Company Colac Gold Cup (2000m), and now sits in equal second placing one point in arrears.
Station One will be steered by first-year apprentice Chris Pang, who will also be looking to add another country cup to his resume after victory aboard Look Sharpish (Leon & Troy Corstens) in the cluBarham Kerang Cup (1800m) in March.
Friday’s topweight with 60kg is consistent gelding Jimmy The Bear for trainer Patrick Payne who knows what it takes having won back-to-back Mildura Cups in 2018-19 with Husson Eagle.
The training duo of Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are also no strangers to the Mildura Cup, taking out the 2021 edition with Sierra Sue. They will be hoping their five-year-old He’s Our Bonneval can emulate her deeds and secure valuable points in the series. The training duo featured heavily in the inaugural 2022-23 Country Cups Series with Brayden Star and Suizuro both qualifying for the lucrative final last November.
South Australia will have a strong contingent of contenders in the Mildura Cup when they cross the border on Friday. Headlining the six raiders are My Khalifa (Gordon Richards & Damien Moyle), Lord Vladivostock (Michael Hickmott) and last start Port Lincoln Cup (1960m) placegetter Morty (Shayne Cahill).
Points for the series are awarded on a 5-2-1 basis to the first three horses home in each of Victoria’s professional Country Cups, with the best-performed horses set to be rewarded with a place in the field for the lucrative Victorian Country Cups Final (2000m), held during the Spring Racing Carnival in November.
The inaugural $500,000 finale was claimed by Claidheamh Mor, whose powerful performance at Caulfield delivered the biggest win of Gemma Rielly’s training career and provided a fitting climax to the series.
Click here for the 2023-24 Victorian Country Cups Series leaderboard as of Wednesday, 17 July 2024.
The Mildura Cup is Race 7 at 4pm (AET) on Friday and will be broadcast live on Racing.com and RSN.
Victorian Country Cups Series Top 5
- Mister Me - 13 points
- Muster Island (JPN) - 12 points
- Toogoodfortoorak - 12 points
- Station One - 12 points
- Glitter 'N' Gold - 11 points