Coalminer Cup review
Coalminer Cup Review, Turf giants clash for cup. 3000.5315
The running of the seventh annual Coalminer Cup will be run this week with a field of ten battling it out over a mile and a half for their share in $1,500,000. Past winners include 13 time G1 winner Allied Assault, and the immortal Joe Cayenne who remarkably won this race three times in succession. Trainers will be hoping a win in this race will be the platform for bigger and better things in the future and that they one day emulate the deeds of these former winners.
Bookmakers have this year’s cup a race in two with joint favourites Rapid Grey and Rain God starting at 2/1. Rain God is an on pace runner who if left alone up front should win this race with a leg in the air. However it will be interesting to see how much the last start battle with Ballisodare in the Bluegrass Cup only two weeks ago has an effect on his performance.
Rapid Grey’s racing pattern is in direct contrast to that of Rain God in that he likes to settle well back in the field before unleashing a blistering finish. The smaller field will work in Rapid Grey’s favour as he won’t be conceding as big a start as he has in his past few races. Perhaps the biggest factor in Rapid Grey’s favour is that he has D Evans on board. Evans is in career best form and will give him self every opportunity to win.
Hey Zeus is another who likes to get back in his races and come home with a barnstorming finish. This impeccably bred 5YO will be looking at making it 3 from 3 from his last 3 starts by winning the cup. Bookies have him at 6/1 second favourite and rightly so as he probably lacks the class of the favourites. This time last year this colt was in much better form than what he is at the moment and only managed 5th place in this very race.
Bulgaria’s trainer slades2 would have to be flattered to see his colt starting at 9/1. These odds are baffling to say the least. This horse has never run further than a mile and it’s only start at the mile distance he only beat one horse home. The jump to 12F is a questioning move by slades2 and I’ll be surprised to see him finish within 10 lengths of the winner.
Silvershaft is an exiting young prospect by mineshaft and is stepping up to the mile and a half for the first time. His last start win in the G3 Saint Ledge Stakes indicated he’ll run the trip and at 10/1 I believe he is the best value runner in the race. I’ll be backing this fellow to win and then go on to a start in the breeders bowl where he should do lenny6 proud.
Lord Hornblower is a natural leader who might give Rain God a hard time up front in the race. He is another tackling the distance for the first time. He’ll give punters a good run for their money but we may just see him fading in the stretch when it gets down to business.
Mokele Mbembe is a dour stayer with a very hard name to say. This seven year old so of Forty Niner has seen better days and would be better suited to running in Alw’s and stakes races than G1 Coalminer Cup’s. His odds of 14/1 are true reflection of where this guy stands in the race.
Director is the X factor in this race. Having only his 7th start in a race for snappa4, Director is definitely a horse on the way up. The distance won’t be a factor for him as he has already twice travelled the journey for a win and a second. Anything less than a win will rule out any hope snappa4 may have had of a start in the breeders bowl. That being said I would not rule out this horse getting up and winning this race and then going on to bigger things in the future. At 17/1 he is definitely worth something each way.
Boeing is a horse yet to live up to his jet like name. His last two attempts at this distance have seen him a combined 58 lengths behind the subsequent winners. This is hardly the form needed heading in to such a prestigious race and I can’t see him figuring in the money this time.
Rude Boy Shufflin has a devilish race record of 6 wins, 6 places and 6 shows. Unfortunately for rastaman it looks like this record will remain in tact for at least another race. Although a credible second in the Supertitious Stakes last start over 13F, he’ll be found wanting when the big guns turn it on in the stretch.
Good luck to all trainers and horses alike.
Mcsheen’s tips- 1st- Silvershaft
2nd- Rapid Grey
3rd- Director