Katherine Cup Day preview & betting tips | August 19, 2023
| What | Katherine Cup Day |
| Where | Jim Jackson Racecourse – Katherine Showgrounds, 11 Murray St, Katherine NT 0850 |
| When | Saturday, August 19, 2023 |
| First Race | 1:42pm ACST |
One of the big sporting events in the Barkly region takes place this weekend, with the Katherine Turf Club hosting its annual Cup Day meeting. There are seven races on the program, with 45 runners accepting following the Darwin Cup Carnival. The total prizemoney is a healthy $150,000 – an increase of $17,000 from last year – with the feature race being the $30,000 Katherine Cup (1700m), which was a $25,000 event in 2022.
It’s the height of the dry season, so there is no chance of rain, with sunny conditions and 20-30km/h winds from the east to south-east the order of the day. It will be a hot day with a top temperature of 34C. The rail will be in the true position and runners will contend with a good sand surface.
BEST BET: ZOUMIST
This girl impressed en route to victory during the Darwin Cup Carnival over 1200m on August 5. That followed a first-up seventh in the Rose Bowl (1200m) for the fillies and mares at 0-70 level on July 19 after returning from a two-month spell. The six-year-old mare steps up in grade this weekend but only has to bring that last-start form to the table to win this. With nine starts in the NT for two wins, a second and a third, the daughter of Zoustar really caught the eye two weeks ago and is now looking to make it back-to-back wins for the first time in her career. Zoumist’s only other Fannie Bay win was the Wet Season Series Final (1200m) at 0-70 level on Australia Day.
Best Bet
Race 2 – 
#4 Zoumist (5)
6yo Mare | T: Angela Forster | J: Jarrod Todd (58kg)
NEXT BEST: ARCHIE JAMES
Although lumping plenty of weight, Archie James boasts far better form than his rivals. Katherine Cup Day can spring surprises, but it’s hard not to see the five-year-old gelding making an impact on Saturday. The son of Toorak Toff produced consistent form after arriving from Victoria; after winning a 1200m maiden on his Darwin debut on Melbourne Cup Day last year, he managed three wins, a second, a third and a fourth from his next seven starts. After a pair of disappointing seventh-place finishes on Anzac Day and July 8, he appears to be getting back to his best form with two fourths over 1300m on July 19 and 1600m on August 2.
Next Best
Race 4 – 
#1 Archie James (2)
5yo Gelding | T: Chris Nash | J: Adam Nicholls (62kg)
NEXT BEST AGAIN: GO BUNDLE
With Rising Fire and Fierce Legend expected to compete for favouritism, Go Bundle is likely to start at a decent price. He had 17 starts for two wins in SA before arriving in the Top End, where he finished sixth on debut over 1000m on New Year’s Eve. He managed two thirds in his next seven starts before getting the cash over 1600m in late May. Suddenly, Go Bundle had found his mojo, as a third over 1600m and a second over 1600m followed in June. He was outclassed when fifth over 1600m at 0-66 level on July 22 before a narrow second over 1600m in 0-62 grade on August 2 during the Darwin Cup Carnival.
Next Best Again
Race 6 – 
#3 Go Bundle (4)
6yo Gelding | T: Chris Pollard | J: Adam Nicholls (56kg)
Saturday quaddie tips for Katherine Cup Day 2023
Katherine quadrella selections
Saturday, August 19, 2023
- 1-3-7
- 2-3-5
- 1-3-5
- 3-4
Investment: $54 for 100%