2026 Easter Cup Day Preview

ENGINE OF WAR takes improvement into a nice second up target at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Circus Maximus gelding turned in some fine performances last time in, ending his campaign with a run in the Victoria Derby, while he returned to action to finish second over 1500m at Caulfield Heath last month.

Stripping fitter, getting out in trip and dropping in the weights, I think he gets plenty of ticks this week.

There’s a case to be made for a few of them in Race 2 on Easter Cup Day including A DIVA, who I’ve put on top.

A Diva has finished worse than second once in six trips to the races since debuting, and she returned to action with an impressive on-pace performance to get up in BM70 company at Cranbourne last month.

She’s open to plenty of improvement from that hit-out, Jye McNeil can take her forward again this week from an ideal draw and she can be in it for a long way again.

ALERO steps out a fit horse this week, and this looks a nice opportunity for him to win in Saturday metro company.

Alero has won two of five starts back from a break, leading home credible fields in BM66 and BM62 company at Sandown and Pakenham, while we last saw him finishing three lengths behind Trapdoor in a BM70 contest at Sandown.

There are no real stars engaged in this contest, and with the fitness edge and some relief in the weights under Logan Bates, I’m confident he can make his presence felt.

AMBASSADORIAL chases a hat-trick on Easter Cup Day.

The Fiorente gelding returned to winning form third up from a spell, kicking away from the likes of Bluestone and Global Eclipse over 2000m here in February, while he was last seen repeating the dose over the same trip at Flemington, stepping up in grade.

He’s been kept up to the mark with a trial, getting out to the mile and a half should be suitable now and he gets some relief in the weights via Molly Bourke’s claim.

puts an unbeaten record on the line.

She stamped herself as one to follow with an easy win on debut in New Zealand, picking up where she left off when beating home the likes of Gold Coast Belle at Sandown last month.

With natural improvement, something like this looks the next logical target for her.

LIVE resumes in a nice race on Easter Cup Day.

We haven’t seen Live at the races since November, but after winning on debut at Geelong in October, she was only denied by the impressive Napoleonic in the Group 3 Red Anchor.

Having run into Sheza Alibi in her latest start in Flemington’s Group 3 The Vanity, this is obviously a substantial drop in class, and she’s had the benefit of a couple of trials ahead of Saturday’s return.

KA YING CHEER faces another rise in class at Caulfield this week.

The former Hong Kong galloper is unbeaten since arriving in Australia, winning races at Pakenham and Seymour in February before hitting the line to get up over this route a fortnight ago.

There does look to be a bit more depth in this race, but he’s fit, proven at the trip and can fight out the finish again.

This is a wide-open edition of the Easter Cup and at publish, we’re faced with $6.50 the field.

BANKERS CHOICE has been charged with carrying topweight, but he just remains one of the better horses in the Easter Cup field in my opinion, and I’ve got him on top.

The veteran son of Mongolian Khan has turned in plenty of memorable performances throughout his career, picking off some lovely races and finding form around some of the better horses Australia has seen in recent years.

While he didn’t show his best during the spring, he returned to action with a fine performance to place in the Group 2 Peter Young. I’m expecting improvement from that and getting out to 2000m.

PERSIAN SPIRIT steps out this as a key chance in the 2026 Victoria Handicap field.

The Cable Bay gelding has turned in plenty of quality performances throughput a busy campaign, winning the VOBIS Gold Bullion over this route back in November, while there has been merit in his recent performances in races like the Oakleigh Plate.

These are his pet conditions, this looks to be a more suitable grade for him, and I think he looks well placed again.

GOLD MEDALLIST takes winning form into the last on Easter Cup Day.

Gold Medallist has improved with each of three runs back from a break, culminating in a sharp performance to greet the judge two lengths ahead of his rivals over this route a fortnight ago.

So long as he holds his form, I can’t find a reason why he won’t be in the finish again.