2025 Ballarat Cup Day Preview

MALDINI takes winning form into another nice race on Ballarat Cup Day.

The son of Too Darn Hot has returned to action an improved horse this season and has continued to improve with each run back, culminating in his dominant performance on Ladbrokes Cranbourne Cup Day.

He’s in peak order and can go on with it.

ACTUALITY looks well placed in Race 2.

The Snitzel mare has turned in some fine performances this time in, winning in BM74 company at Seymour most notably, while I thought she was tough through the line when third, beaten just over half a length at Cranbourne a fortnight ago.

She’s in peak order this week, the 1200m suits and she can fight out the finish again.

There’s a case to be made for a few of them in this lucrative VOBIS race including GROUND CONTROL, who I have put on top.

Ground Control has made only three appearances at the races so far, but he has hit the ground running in winning twice and finishing third on the other occasion.

He steps out this week a fit horse and following and a dominant performance in BM64 company, and while this is harder, he certainly looks up to it.

Another wide-open race with plenty of key chances engaged and ANGLAND was one that I thought represented value at around the $10 mark.

He’s yet to win in four runs back this time, but Angland’s fitness has constantly improved, and he’s run into plenty of classy opposition throughout his prep.

In peak order this week, back to the mile and in what could be the weakest contest he’s featured in this time in, I think he can run a cheeky race.

CODIGO is third up and primed to strike at Ballarat.

Having worked home well behind Latin Lover at Pakenham first up this season, the Ardrossan gelding was only just denied again in a stronger race at Flemington most recently.

With the benefit of Emily Pozman’s claim, he looks well placed to go one better this week.

I think it could be a great day for the Phillip Stokes stable on Saturday, and SHYSTAR is another key hope in the Emerging Stars.

Shystar raced well without setting the world on fire during her two-year-old season, but she returned to action at Geelong last month to break her maiden.

She enjoyed good second up improvement last time in, while getting out to the 1400m now also looks ideal.

CARBONADOS is in winning form and takes further improvement into this contest.

He picked off some nice races during his last preparation, and after trialling up nicely, Carbonados put the writing on the wall with a dominant win in BM84 company at Randwick first up.

He’s been kept up to the mark with a trial since that race and gets into this one well under the conditions.

PARTY CRASHER has been freshened since his outstanding performance to win on Melbourne Cup Day.

Prior to that race, he has returned to action with a fair effort without a lot of luck at Murray Bridge, and that was the only time in seven career starts so far that he has finished worse than second.

He’s drawn ideally again this week and can fight out the finish.

I’m going to have something on AIR ASSAULT when he takes his place in the 2025 Ballarat Cup field.

Air Assault recorded consecutive victories in the Gawler Cup and the Listed John Letts over 1800m at Morphettville, and he worked home well when dropping back down to a mile in the Listed Cranbourne Cup a fortnight ago.

I thought it was the run of a horse looking for more ground which he gets this week, while he’s in tip top shape and has options in the run from the rails draw.

GRID GIRL steps out third-up in the last on Ballarat Cup Day and can win again at nice odds ($9.50 at publish).

She was a dominant winner in BM70 company at Kyneton fresh from a break, while she went on with it in the Fillies & Mares Pendant at Cranbourne a fortnight ago, beating home the well-fancied Gumdrops.

There’s more depth to this race, but this mare is open to further improvement and looks a terrific each way chance in current form.