Feature racing heads to Sydney’s west on Saturday when ten races are run and won on January Cup Day.
Further to a talent-rich feature race, there is plenty of above-average horses stepping out as stables continues to ramp up preparations for the forthcoming Sydney Autumn Carnival.
Read on for all of my 2025 January Cup Day tips!
Race 1 – 12:30pm AEDT – Chandon Handicap (1100m)
There isn’t a lot of form to study ahead of the first at Rosehill on January Cup Day and at publish, the debutant Wodeton is an odds-on favourite.
I can’t find anything that I am particularly confident in, and I am happy to stay out of this one from a betting perspective.
Suggested Bet: 1 Unit – No Bet
Race 2 – 1:05pm AEDT – Highway Handicap (1400m)
A typically open affair is this week’s Highway race and there’s a case to be made for a few of them, including Scopics.
Scopics has been a great horse in country company throughout his career, and two runs since transferring to the care of Angus Stewart this time have been decent.
Fitter third-up and from an inside draw this week, he has each way claims once more.
Suggested Bet: 1 Unit E/W Scopics
Race 3 – 1:40pm AEDT – Precise Air Handicap (1100m)
Polyglot makes his return in a very winnable race on Saturday.
The Godolphin gelding turned in some fine performances last year, breaking his maiden impressively and racing well in Listed company last time out.
A couple of recent trials add further confidence, as does the booking of James McDonald.
Suggested Bet: 3 Units Polyglot
Race 4 – 2:15pm AEDT – Midway Handicap (1200m)
I thought that Shohisha looked good at her first run back and something like this Midway Handicap looks a nice race for her.
Shohisha won on debut at Warwick Farm before finishing down the order in the Group 2 Furious Stakes, while she returned to action to only just miss in the Gosford Guineas.
With natural improvement, she can continue her journey through the grades.
Suggested Bet: 3 Units Shohisha
Race 5 – 2:50pm AEDT – Ranvet Handicap (2400m)
Gilded Water is two from two back from a spell and strikes another very winnable race on January Cup Day.
Owned by His Majesty, the King, Gilded Water debuted for Ciaron Maher to win on The Gong Day before repeating the dose in BM78 company at Randwick last time.
He’ll carry more weight this week, but the race isn’t any harder, and he’s drawn to receive a soft run.
Suggested Bet: 5 Units Gilded Water
Race 6 – 3:25pm AEDT – Racing And Sports Handicap (1500m)
This looks to be another open affair with several key winning chances stepping out, and one of those I thought represented value in betting was Autumnmation for the Waller yard ($10 at publish).
Autumnmation has missed placing only a handful of times in seventeen trips to the races, and three runs back from a break this time culminated in an eye-catching win in similar company at Randwick earlier this month.
She’s in peak order and we can have something on each way.
Suggested Bet: 1 Unit E/W Autumnmation
Race 7 – 4pm AEDT – Listed January Cup (2000m)
The January Cup is a lovely feature race for a fit Converge.
Converge has picked off some lovely races for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott throughout his career, namely the JJ Atkins and the Randwick Guineas earlier in his career.
It has been a short while since he won a race, but his recent performances have suggested a victory is just around the corner, and it’s almost certainly the weakest task he’s been set this time in.
Suggested Bet: 3 Units Converge
Race 8 – 4:35pm AEDT – Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1300m)
Cigar Flick has been racing well without a lot of luck recently, but I think she’ll get her chance at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Churchill mare couldn’t have done a lot more without winning the Listed Just Now up in Brisbane two starts back, but she was hampered for a run before ultimately finishing fourth in the Nudgee Quality last time out.
This is a drop in class, she’s a fit horse and she’s another whose winning chances have been boosted by the booking of James McDonald.
Suggested Bet: 3 Units Cigar Flick
Race 9 – 5:15pm AEDT – Benchmark 78 Handicap (1500m)
High Blue Sea takes winning form into this contest and can make it two in a row.
The Merchant Navy gelding was good into third at Randwick in his first run back from a break, while his second up improvement was obvious when he proved too good for a similar field last time out.
Fitter third up, this a great opportunity for him to go on with it.
Suggested Bet: 2 Units High Blue Sea
Race 10 – 5:55pm AEDT – Rosehill Bowling Club Handicap (1100m)
Boston Rocks is third up and ready to strike in the last on January Cup Day.
Having ended his last prep a winner in BM72 company at Canterbury, Boston Rocks returned to action to only just miss behind Grand Larceny on the Heath track at Caulfield last month.
He has since finished third, beaten a little over a length and a half in a similar race to this one at Randwick, and something like this, at this point of his preparation, looks an ideal target for him.
Suggested Bet: 2 Units Boston Rocks
