March As One is well-positioned with the weight claim. Damin Batters’ five-year-old showed significant improvement to finish third over 1200m recently, despite a wide draw that forced him to cover extra ground. He typically gets better as his prep progresses, and the drop back to 1100m from a better gate should suit him well.
Savileo has been consistent, finishing in the money in his last three races despite not securing a win. The Savabeel gelding has been racing for a while but appears close to a breakthrough, especially over longer distances. He’ll need some luck with the barrier, but after racing on rain-affected tracks, the polytrack might suit him well, especially with Kyle Wilson-Taylor staying on as his jockey.
Miss Miriam drops in class after her last run at Doomben over a shorter distance. The Divine Prophet mare broke her maiden at Ipswich a few races ago and has since placed in two of her last three starts. Although she’s moving up to a mile late in her prep, she’s fit and progressing well. With a good draw, she’s a strong contender.
Patton looks tough to beat in the Cup after his recent win at Ipswich, fresh off a break. Jack Bruce’s six-year-old, who spent most of autumn racing at Doomben and Eagle Farm, is now fitter with a strong second-up record. Although this is his first race at the Sunny Coast, with four wins over this distance and a favorable barrier five, he’ll be hard to hold off in the final stages.