2016 Group 1 Brisbane Cup – best odds, tips & betting preview
OUTSIDE Pass looks set to secure her first group 1 trophy when the lids fly open for the 2016 Brisbane Cup (520m) at Albion Park on Friday night.
Trained by Tony Apap, the daughter of Head Bound and Tina's Show is the $2.10 favourite with William Hill and was impressive in claiming her heat of the $75,000 series last week, clocking a slick 29.61 from box three.
Despite moving into box seven for the decider, Outside Pass has the pace to surge towards the front of the pack and, with a big finishing kick, she only needs to be within a couple of lengths of the leader heading down the back to be in with a winning chance.
A winner of 16 of her 37 starts, Outside Pass has been unlucky not to win a feature event throughout her career, having run second in the Group 1 Winter Cup, the Group 2 Shootout, the Group 2 Speed Star and having qualified for the finals of the Group 1 National Sprint Championship, the Group 1 Melbourne Cup, the Group 2 Richmond Oaks and the Ipswich Futurity.
Bookies rate Thirty Talks as the best chance of toppling the favourite, installing him as the $3.60 second elect. The brindle powerhouse is risky at the start, but has a huge motor once he hits the ground, having won 20 of his 32 starts including the Group 2 Richmond Riches and the Group 3 Ipswich Cup.
Thirty Talks also has the advantage of being prepared by Tony Brett, the trainer of two Brisbane Cup heroes (Bogie Leigh 2003, Glen Gallon 2011).
Brett also has two other runners in this year's event, with Zabdon Ferrari and Whata Nice Size set to jump from boxes two and four respectively.
Zabdon Ferrari looks the likely leader in the race off the ideal draw, however he will have his work cut out for him late in the race if one of his fancied rivals is able to get within striking distance.
Blazin' Bomber is the sole Victorian representative in the final and will be aiming to secure the fifth consecutive Brisbane Cup title for his home state.
The son of Kinloch Brae and Absolute Stunna is a beast on his night, but will have to do everything right after coming up with box five in the decider.
Not Like Tommy should be given a rough chance for the exotics, despite drawing box eight, with the red fawn bitch coming into the final in career best form. She was unlucky not to win her heat last Thursday, flashing home to finish 0.25 lengths second behind Zabdon Ferrari.
Prior to that she had only been unplaced once in her previous 10 starts which was a fifth in the final of the Group 3 Ipswich Cup.
Crazy Vixon is ideally drawn on the fence and is racing in top style for Joanne Price, having won 18 of her 40 starts.
She was far from disgraced when finishing second in her heat behind Blazin' Bomber, with the daughter of Westmead Osprey and Vixon Lass capable of improving off box one.
Rounding out the field is Lady Abigail which comes into the final having won two of her past three starts. Despite the handy form, she faces a tough task from box six in this race and will have to produce a career best performance to score.
The Group 1 Brisbane Cup is race six at Albion Park this Friday and is set to jump at 8:58pm.
Group 1 Brisbane Cup – runner statistics and best odds
Box One – Crazy Vixon
Black Bitch – 30.2kg – June 2013
Westmead Osprey x Vixon Lass
Prize money: $42,641
Trainer: Joanne Price
Career: 40: 18-9-6
Box: 6: 3-1-2
TD: 10: 5-2-2
TD Best: 29.96
Career Highlights: WON Ipswich 30.55
Best odds to win the Brisbane Cup: $21 with William Hill
Box Two – Zabdon Ferrari
Black Dog – 33.4kg – May 2014
Magic Sprite x Awesome Knocka
Prize money: $105,590
Trainer: Tony Brett
Career: 31: 14-8-5
Box: 8: 5-1-0
TD: 16: 7-4-3
TD Best: 29.86
Career Highlights: WON 2016 Group 3 Townsville Cup, 2ND 2016 Group 2 Ipswich Cup, 2016 Group 3 Gold Coast Cup, 3RD 2016 Group 2 Vince Curry Memorial, FINALIST 2016 Group 2 Queensland Derby
Best odds to win the Brisbane Cup: $7.50 with Sportsbet
Box Three – Thirty Talks
Brindle Dog – 35.4kg – June 2014
Where's Pedro x Unfinished
Prize money: $201,291
Trainer: Tony Brett
Career: 32: 20-0-2
Box: 1: 0-0-0
TD: 18: 10-0-1
TD Best: 29.66
Career Highlights: WON 2016 Group 2 Richmond Riches, 2016 Group 3 Ipswich Cup, 3RD 2016 Group 2 Queensland Derby, FINALIST 2016 Group 1 Winter Cup, 2016 Group 2 Vince Curry Memorial, 2016 Group 3 Gold Coast Cup, 2016 Listed Flying Amy Classic
Best odds to win the Brisbane Cup: $3.60 with Crownbet
Box Four – Whata Nice Size
Black Dog – 33.7kg – March 2013
Elite Blue Size x Chevy Cherokee
Prize money: $96,273
Trainer: Tony Brett
Career: 48: 20-10-4
Box: 2: 1-1-0
TD: 24: 8-5-3
TD Best: 29.88
Career Highlights: WON 2015 Silver Dollars, 2015 Mick Byrne Memorial, 2ND 2015 Listed Flying Amy Classic
Best odds to win the Brisbane Cup: $14 with William Hill
Box Five – Blazin' Bomber
Black Dog – 32.8kg – November 2013
Kinloch Brae x Absolute Stunna
Prize money: $187,730
Trainer: Darren Pattinson
Career: 45: 22-8-6
Box: 3: 1-1-0
TD: 4: 2-0-1
TD Best: 29.71
Career Highlights: WON 2016 Group 3 Speed Star, 2015 Group 3 Cranbourne Puppy Classic, 2ND 2016 Group 2 Horsham Cup, 3RD 2015 Group 1 Vic Peters Classic, 2016 Group 1 Harrison-Dawson, FINALIST 2016 Group 1 Perth Cup, 2016 Group 1 Winter Cup, 2015 Group 3 John Dillon Memorial
Best odds to win the Brisbane Cup: $5.50 with Crownbet
Box Six – Lady Abigail
White and Black Bitch – 27.0kg – January 2013
Where's Pedro x Pretty Malaika
Prize money: $123,407
Trainer: Frank Hancock
Career: 72: 19-13-15
Box: 8: 4-0-0
TD: 58: 14-12-10
TD Best: 29.85
Career Highlights: 3RD 2015 Group 2 Gold Coast Cup, FINALIST 2016 Group 2 Lismore Cup, 2015 Listed Flying Amy Classic
Best odds to win the Brisbane Cup: $41 with Sportsbet
Box Seven – Outside Pass
Black Bitch – 30.2kg – August 2013
Head Bound x Tina's Show
Prize money: $115,313
Trainer: Tony Apap
Career: 37: 16-6-2
Box: 5: 2-3-0
TD: 22: 11-3-1
TD Best: 29.61
Career Highlights: 2ND 2016 Group 1 Winter Cup, 2016 Group 2 Shootout, 2016 Group 3 Speed Star, FINALIST 2016 Group 1 National Sprint Championship, 2016 Group 1 Melbourne Cup, 2016 Group 2 Richmond Oaks, 2015 Ipswich Futurity
Best odds to win the Brisbane Cup: $2.10 with William Hill
Box Eight – Not Like Tommy
Red Fawn Bitch – 27.8kg – March 2013
Spring Gun x Mini Pod
Prize money: $59,047
Trainer: Richard Nelson
Career: 72: 17-13-21
Box: 7: 0-2-2
TD: 13: 1-2-4
TD Best: 29.88
Career Highlights: FINALIST 2016 Group 3 Ipswich Cup
Best odds to win the Brisbane Cup: $21 with Sportsbet