Orange Cup Day preview, quaddie & best bets | Friday 14/4/2023
| What | Orange Cup Day |
| Where | Towac Park Racecourse – 57 Canobolas Rd, Orange NSW 2800 |
| When | Friday, April 14, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:55pm AEST |
Racing heads to the Central Tablelands region of NSW on Friday afternoon as Orange hosts a competitive eight-race program. The feature event is the $75,000 Orange Cup for the stayers in the penultimate race of the card. The rail is out +3.5m between the 500m-300m and sits in the true position the remainder. A Soft 7 surface is currently listed for Friday, and with some rain forecast leading into the meeting, we expect that to hold true. The first race is set to get underway at 12:55pm AEST.
Best Bet For Orange Cup: Mayfair Spirit
Mayfair Spirit looks set to peak third-up for Ciaron Maher & David Eustace and should be hard to beat in the Orange Cup despite the big weight. His first two starts this preparation have come on the Randwick-Kensington course over an unsuitable trip, but getting out to the 2100m he now looks ready to produce his best. Some of his best performances have come on wet decks as well – including his last win, back in August of last year. He draws barrier one, and with a saloon passage expected when turning for home, we think class can prevails and Mayfair Spirit can find career win number nine.
Orange Cup Best Bet
Race 7 – 
#3 Mayfair Spirit (1)
7yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | J: Grant Buckley (62kg)
Best Bet at Orange: Wallenda
Based on what we’ve seen from the barrier trials, we think it could be a winning debut for Wallenda. This son of Trapeze Artist has four total jump-outs and with every single one has seen improvement heading into what looks a very manageable first-up assignment. Mitchell Bell takes the reins for the Maher & Eustace yard and from barrier two can elect to lead or get on the back of other leading contender, Champers Girl. Both have trialled excellently, but we think Wallenda might be more versatile, so we’re happy to side with him.
Best Bet
Race 1 – 
#3 Wallenda (2)
2yo Colt | T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | J: Mitchell Bell (57kg)
Next Best Bet: Washington Towers
Washington Towers is also accepted for Hawkesbury on Thursday; however, if they elect to come to Orange on Friday, we want to keep him safe. He’s run into second his last two starts, most recently missing by less than half a length in the Wellington Town Plate on March 26. This is another tough assignment for this now six-year-old gelding; however, he seems to be improving in his racing and we’d be shocked if he wasn’t figuring here. Barrier two should see Washington Towers get the run of the race and be good enough to score a long-awaited ninth career win.
Next Best
Race 6 – 
#1 Washington Towers (2)
6yo Gelding | T: Todd Smart | J: Nick Heywood (61.5kg)
Friday quaddie tips for Orange races
Orange quadrella selections
Friday, April 14, 2023
- 1-2-3-4
- 1-2-9-10
- 1-3-4
- 1-4-5-9
Investment: $192 for 100%