Cranbourne free racing preview & tips | Cranbourne Cup Day 2023
| What | Cranbourne Cup Day 2023 |
| Where | Cranbourne Turf Club – 50 Grant St, Cranbourne VIC 3977 |
| When | Saturday, November 25, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:10pm AEDT |
Metropolitan racing in Victoria heads to Cranbourne Turf Club on Saturday afternoon, with a stacked 10-race meeting scheduled. The Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) is the marquee event of the day, with a strong field of 11 accepted. Persistent rain is forecast on Saturday, so we expect the current Good 4 rating to deteriorate to the Soft range throughout the card. The rail comes out 3m for the entire circuit, with the Cranbourne Cup Day card commencing at 12:10pm AEDT.
Cranbourne Cup Top Tip: Just Folk
Just Folk was only defeated by 2.15 lengths in the Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) behind the likes of Prowess, Antino and Tuvalu on October 28, and he looks the one to beat in Saturday’s Cranbourne Cup. The seven-year-old gelding comes to the $500,000 feature third-up, where he holds a record of three wins from six goes. The son of Magnus will relish any rain that falls, and he brings the right formlines into Listed company. From barrier nine, Beau Mertens will look to have this bloke settled outside the lead, and from there he should prove a touch too classy.
Cranbourne Cup
Race 9 – 
#2 Just Folk (9)
7yo Gelding | T: Gavin Bedggood | J: Beau Mertens (58.5kg)
Best Bet at Cranbourne: Wiggum
Travis Doudle’s Wiggum was a strong winner during the Melbourne Cup Carnival in arguably a tougher race that he faces on Saturday. The three-year-old gelding got the better of Barber down the Flemington straight over 1000m, and stepping up to the 1200m fourth-up looks to be a recipe for success. He gains the services of Damian Lane for the first time, and from barrier five the pair can stalk what looks to be a chaotic pace on paper. With even luck, Wiggum should prove too hard to hold out once again.
Best Bet
Race 2 – 
#2 Wiggum (5)
3yo Gelding | T: Travis Doudle | J: Damian Lane (58kg)
Next Best at Cranbourne: Jimmysstar
Jimmysstar looks to be a horse on the way up, and his win at Bendigo on November 1 suggests he is more than capable of saluting in Class 3 company. Despite being held up for a run until the final 100m on that day, the son of Per Incanto produced a stunning turn of foot to put 1.25 lengths on his rivals in what was a dominant display. Craig Williams will likely have Jimmysstar settled towards the rear of the field from barrier 12, but with a similar turn of foot, in a race where he is clearly the best horse, he should just be winning again.
Next Best
Race 10 – 
#5 Jimmysstar (12)
4yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | J: Craig Williams (60kg)
Best Value at Cranbourne: South Of Houston
South Of Houston was thrown into the deep end upon return in the Group 3 Begonia Belle Stakes (1100m), but with a massive drop back in grade, we’re happy to side with her second-up. The four-year-old mare broke her maiden when second-up last campaign, and a race like this looks well within her capabilities. Jye McNeil should have no issue crossing the field from barrier 12 and controlling proceedings throughout the 1000m scamper. With a cheap sectional or two, South Of Houston will take some running down in this BM70.
Best Value
Race 5 – 
#7 South Of Houston (12)
4yo Mare | T: Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | J: Jye McNeil (59kg)
Free quaddie tips for Cranbourne Cup Day
Cranbourne quadrella selections
Saturday, November 25, 2023
- 1-6-10
- 1-2-3-6-9
- 1-2-3-9-10
- 5-12