2025 Kingsford Smith Cup Preview: Joliestar Leads Battle of the Sprinters at Eagle Farm

Elite-level racing ignites the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival this Saturday at Eagle Farm Racecourse, that includes a Group 1 double-header headlined by the extremely anticipated Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m).

Chris Waller‘s star Newmarket Handicap-winning mare, Joliestar, holds clear favouritism within the newest betting markets for this prestigious occasion.

The $1 million Kingsford Smith Cup serves because the essential conventional lead-up to Queensland’s richest race, the Group 1 $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m), set to return to Eagle Farm on June 14.

Joliestar, a four-year-old daughter of Zoustar and earner of $3.9 million, is trying to attain a uncommon feat, aiming to grow to be the primary mare for the reason that legendary Black Caviar in 2011 to win the Kingsford Smith Cup in opposition to her male counterparts.

She enters this contest off a powerful lead-up efficiency, ending second to Jimmysstar in Sydney’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m).

Her preparation’s spotlight was a commanding victory within the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 5, and with confirmed successful type as much as a mile, the 1300m of the Kingsford Smith Cup presents no distance considerations.

At the moment put in at $3.90 by Ladbrokes, Joliestar will want James McDonald to navigate efficiently from a wider attract barrier 13, as each Waller and McDonald search their maiden victories on this race.

Difficult Joliestar for prime honours at $4.80 is the previous The Everest champion, Giga Kick, for coach Clayton Douglas.

Drawn in barrier 10 with Mark Zahra sustaining the journey, the five-year-old son of Scissor Kick is keen to return to successful type, along with his final turf triumph courting again to the 2023 Group 1 Doomben 10,000.

He resumed his marketing campaign on Could 10, working an in depth third because the crushed favorite within the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) in South Australia, and vital enchancment is anticipated for his Brisbane outing.

Rounding out the single-figure contenders at $7 is Jason Warren‘s good mare, Benedetta, drawn favourably in barrier six with Jamie Melham booked.

This five-year-old daughter of Hellbent boasts a powerful 1300m file (3:2-0-0) and carried out creditably with a 1.5-length fourth to Sunshine In Paris within the Doomben 10,000 on a Heavy (8) monitor on Could 17.

As a winner of final 12 months’s The Goodwood, Benedetta thrives on firmer floor, which she is anticipated to come across this Saturday.

Different sturdy contenders at conservative costs embrace Gary Portelli‘s Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Kimochi ($10), trying to atone for a last-place end within the All Aged; Joe Pleasure’s returning seven-year-old Personal Eye ($10), resuming from a spell since final December; and the Annabel & Rob Archibald-trained Blue Level colt Bosustow ($11), a six-length Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas winner recent, desperate to frank his Group 1 type from throughout the Tasman earlier within the 12 months.

The final three-year-old to win the Kingsford Smith Cup was Your Track in 2013, including one other layer of intrigue to this 12 months’s area.

The 2025 Kingsford Smith Cup is scheduled as Eagle Farm Race 7 at 3:13pm (AEST) as a part of Eagle Farm’s nine-race Saturday assembly.

2025 Kingsford Smith Cup Discipline & Limitations

Desk Credit score: Racing Australia.

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