Coalminer Cup

The highlight race for this weekend in Victoria will be the Group I Coalminer Cup, to be run over a mile and a half over the turf this Saturday. Post time is set for 3:00 PM EST. The total combined purse for the race is $750,000 and will be open to three-year-olds and up. This year, the race has attracted a total of ten horses to go into the starting gate, including three three-year-olds, taking on the older horses. Let’s take a look at this years’ field.  

1. Flovellian (SAF) – theatrical – N. Cohen – 7/2 

Making just his third lifetime start over the turf after starting his career on the dirt, this four-year-old chestnut homebred gelding is already an accomplished Group I winner. The most recent start for the gelding was in England during the Judgemont Invitational (G1) over a mile and five-sixteenths. Well off the pace early on, as is the geldings running style, he would make up a lot of ground in the stretch, but it wasn’t enough as he came home across the wire in sixth, while setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. In his prior start, and only other race over the turf, the gelding won the Man Of War Stakes (G1) at a mile and three-eighths in the United States. 

2. Antigua Adele (FR) – toucheamore – A. Jolly – 2/1 

Next up in the second post, this French-bred five-year-old gelding has earned over two million in career earnings to date and comes in ranked at number five in long distance turf runners. The most recent start for the bay gelding came in South Africa during The Greatest Show On Turf (G1) at a mile and three-eighths. He came out of the gate and settled towards the middle of the pack in the race and started to make a bid for the front midway through the race. He eventually would go on to win the race by two and a half lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred eighteen. 

3. Coagulate Vecchio (AUS) – jarrod45 – A. Craig – 44/1 

A longer shot on the board for Saturday, this horse is the first of our local bred horses and the first three-year-old to go into the starting gates. The bay gelding is taking a huge step forward in this race, making his first stakes start of his career after racing primarily in claiming races for the majority of his career to date. The most recent start for the gelding came over a starter allowance over ten furlongs in New South Wales. The gelding would take the field in this race from gate to wire, winning by two and three-quarter lengths and setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred six. Prior to this start, the gelding would break his maiden in a maiden claiming race in Queensland over eight and a half furlongs.  

4. Flying Lemons (AUS) – jarrod4 – GD Mate – 95/1 

The longest shot on the board for Saturday’s race, this Australian-bred is also taking a big step up in class, making his graded stakes debut in this race. The most recent start for the second three-year-old in our race, was in a $35,000 claiming race in New South Wales. The colt was third out of the gate of the four-horse field and started to make a move midway through the eleven-furlong race. The colt ultimately would win the race by four and a half lengths while setting a speed figure of seventy-six. The colt has made one listed stakes start in his career, coming late in his two-year-old season over eight and a half furlongs in Turkey where he would finish twelfth.  

5. Lavistock (NZ) – grenoble4 – D. Matas – 6/1 

In the fifth post, this five-year-old New Zealand bred horse will be making his first Group I start after his group stakes debut earlier this year. The bay horse most recently started in April during the Chaucer Gold Cup (G3) over a mile and one-quarter in New Zealand. The horse would lead the rest of the field from gate to wire in his Group debut, winning the race by two lengths and setting a speed figure of one hundred fourteen, nearly equaling his lifetime best speed figure of one hundred fifteen that he had set in his prior start, a listed stakes race over ten furlongs in South Africa.  

6. Rusty Steed (IRE) – mattress – Z. Kentucky – 8/1 

Making his Group debut this weekend, this four-year-old chestnut gelding by Gleneagles will be making his eighteenth lifetime start on Saturday. The most recent start for the gelding was in an allowance race in France over eleven and a half furlongs. The gelding came out of the gate towards the rear of the seven-horse field, but began picking off other contenders almost immediately out of the gate. He would take the lead in the stretch and win by two and a half lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen, which was a lifetime time best for the gelding.  

7. Joe Cool Superbowl (GB) – redhill2 – T. Ace – 9/1 

Returning to Group company for this race, this four-year-old bay gelding most recently started in August during an allowance over twelve furlongs in the United States. The gelding took the field from gate to wire, winning the race by four lengths with a speed figure of one hundred fourteen, which is a lifetime best speed figure for the gelding. Prior to this, the gelding made his only other Group start, which came in The Stars And Bars (G3) over a mile in a half, also in the United States. The gelding, after leading up until the stretch, would cross the wire in fifth.  

8. Mour Of The Castle (AUS) – corza8 – J. Ledwith – 56/1 

Another longshot of Saturday’s race, this is our third three-year-old to take on the older horses this weekend. The bay colt will be facing Group company for the first time in his career on Saturday. The most recent start for the colt was this past August in New South Wales during a starter allowance race over ten furlongs. Breaking well and settling into the middle of the pack out of the gate, he was asked to make his move midway through the race and would finish in second at the wire, setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred three. The most recent win for the colt was this past April, again in New South Wales, when the colt broke his maiden in a $75,000 maiden claiming race over nine furlongs. 

9. Gnarled Shadows (KY) – fallout76 – E. Cerda – 3/1 

Nearing the end of this weekend’s field, this Kentucky-bred roan gelding is looking to try to turn this race into his third consecutive win. The five-year-old gelding most recently started in The Kergorlay (G2) over a mile and three-quarters in France. The roan gelding led the field from gate to wire, winning the race by an impressive seven lengths and setting a speed figure of one hundred fifteen. Prior to this race, the gelding also won The Irish Cup (G3) over the same distance by a margin of four lengths. 

10. Golden Declaration (FR) – brainpain – N. Lawton – 14/1 

Last in the field in the far outside post is this four-year-old light grey gelding. The gelding will be returning to Group company for this race after taking a brief step down to listed stakes. He is still seeking that first Group win after finishing second in last year’s Japanese Derby (G1) over a mile and a half. However, the most recent start for the gelding was in South Korea in a listed stakes race over ten and a half furlongs this past August. Breaking towards the rear of the field in this start over a good turf track, the gelding would make his move in the latter part of the race, but it was only enough to get him across the wire in eighth after setting a speed figure of one hundred one. The gelding had his most recent group start in June in South Africa during The Greatest Show On Turf (G1) over a mile and three-eighths where the gelding would finish seventh. His most recent win was in March of this year during an allowance race over nine and a half furlongs. 

Flrancho’s Picks: 

Win: Antigua Adele (FR) 

Place: Flovellian (SAF) 

Show: Gnarled Shadows (KY)