Brett Honey’s Perth Cup and Galaxy Night Preview
Race 2 – Galaxy Final (Group 1, 715m)
On a fast Cannington deck last week, it was great to see stayers running time again and the quality of this year’s Galaxy is a pleasant surprise.
The favourite in early betting is Mepunga Lara (box 3) and she showed her class last week, running 41.67 after settling third early on. Many of the interstaters in both the Perth Cup and Galaxy heats last week began poorly and I’m expecting her to improve her first split in the final, if she does, the map looks good with Tilly Rose in box 5 staying up the track and showing some speed. She is no doubt the one to beat.
Iron Works (box 1) and Max Capacity (box 6) are the two obvious dangers, and both greyhounds were able to sit much closer last week in smaller fields and repeating that will be a challenge in the final. Cleary Magic (box 7) was superb in her heat and ran the trip much better 2nd up. Box 1 helped in her bid to find the front and being drawn outside Tilly Rose is the major concern for her.
This looks Mepunga Lara’s to lose.
Bet: #3 Mepunga Lara
Race 3 – Perth Cup Consolation (Group 3, 520m)
After multiple upsets in the Cup heats, this years Group 3 Consolation is stacked. Winsome Jet (box 2) again missed the start last week, but his run was enormous. Only Just A Foreman broke 5.50 to the mark in this field, therefore less speed in this race well help. He’s the best dog by a long way and with any luck, he’ll be taking out the Consolation.
Mailata (box 5) will get room with Just A Foreman moving left and the pace outside him in boxes 7 and 8 should stay up the track. He looks an obvious danger. Paid My Dues (box 1) was huge first up and is a dog who will be running on. He’s been well found in early betting however and is too short to back.
No bet
Race 5 – Perth Cup (Group 1, 520m)
It’s WA’s most prestigious race and the locals produced on heat night to limit the interstate representation to 2 for the $200,000 to the winner final. Iconic Jet (box 2) was the fastest qualifier, and he enters the final as favourite and in scintillating form. He went 5.43 to the mark last week which is close to his PB and if he leads, an effort anywhere near the 29.30 he produced on heat night will see him run away with the Cup.
The challenge for Iconic Jet is the incredible amount of speed that is in the race. Boxes 1,3,4,5,7 all broke 5.50 for the first section last week which means in a race where most will need to lead to win, there is no margin for error.
Frogs Monelli (box 5) went 5.41 early last week and posted a slick 29.45 overall from box 8. He has the pace to hold out the dogs on his outside and importantly can put pressure on Iconic Jet. He’s a veteran of only 12 starts but is right in this race. Giacomo (box 7) nearly crossed from box 8 in an Australia Cup semi-final and he has the beating of boxes 6 and 8 early. With most of the speed on inside wanting to move left, he gets room here and is one I want to be on if he drifts from his current $4.20 quote.
Of the rest, Aston Freddie (box 8) was a strong winner last week and may get a cart into the race via Giacomo.
A cracking race with several chances, best of luck to all connections!
Bet: #7 Giacomo
Race 6 – 2nd Perth Cup Consolation (520m)
The second consolation is an intriguing affair with two clear early speed dogs in Tarawi (box 2) and Farmer Russel (box 8), and Ditalini Monelli (box 1) charging home.
I threw out Tarawi as a saver last week and he gave a tremendous sight for a long way. The quick track certainly helped him, but we can expect a similar surface again on Cup night and if he leads, he will only be fitter. Farmer Russel (box 8) will cut hard left from box 8 which on paper doesn’t suit, however the speed underneath him is only moderate. He’s the other chance to find the front. Ditalini Monelli (box 1) will have no shortage of admirers and would be odds on in the same race at Mandurah. That being said, I think he is awfully short for a greyhound who will be spotting the leader a sizable start and only ran 29.94 last week.
Outside of the 3 mentioned, I struggled to find any others who will land in a prominent spot to run down the leaders.
Bet: #2 Tarawi save #8 Farmer Russel
Race 7 – Galaxy Consolation (715m)
The Galaxy Consolation is the last feature on a terrific program at headquarters, and the market has it has a match race between Urbanity (box 1) and Victorian Texas President (box 4).
Texas President was fair at best last week and has drawn horrible inside West On Model (box 5) who will cut left at box rise. He’s awfully short at 2.60 and looks for taking on.
That leaves us with Urbanity and like most races she contests, the only one that can beat her is herself. For a greyhound that had won four on the bounce prior to last week, she has her challenges going around dogs and in some ways box 1 will help. That being said, she was last out in her heat and went straight to the rail which is essentially where she will be in this. Outside of Texas President, the class in this race falls away quickly and she’ll need to do something seriously wrong to not pick up the Consolation for 2026.
Looking further afield, Miss Ronnie Mac (box 3) is the one who can go with West On Model early and if settling forward is one of the most consistent stayers you’ll see.
Bet: #1 Urbanity