Zipping Classic: Pro punter race preview and best bet

Run at the tail end of Victoria’s Spring Carnival, the Zipping Classic is a Group 2 weight-for-age race run over 2400 metres at Caulfield Racecourse.

The race has a very long history, originally as the Williamstown Cup (1888 – 1962), the Sandown Cup (1963 – 1998) and the Sandown Classic (1999 – 2010). It was last renamed after star racehorse Zipping, who won the race four consecutive times from 2007 to 2010. Current prizemoney is $750,000.

Zipping Classic 2022: Pro punter preview

Track The track is a Good 4  early and should remain so. It’s meant to be pretty warm on Saturday and there shouldn’t be much rain, if any, until very late in the day. It should race well.

Speed There’s no natural leader here but Luncies, Desert Icon and Persan could all go forward. Vow and Declare sits handy and Great House goes back

📺 Video preview

Zipping Classic: Runner-by-runner

Prices courtesy of TopSport at time of publication.

1 Vow And Declare [$3.90] ran okay in the Caulfield Cup. He’s now been up a long time this prep, which is the concern. He maps to get a good run and has a reasonable chance if he’s still in good shape.

9 Luncies [$4.40] is racing honestly, running second behind Soulcombe in Cup week, and maps to get a good run here. He’s a good chance.

4 Persan [$5.50] is another who’s been up a long time this prep. He also tends to switch his form between runs. He’s got some chance

8 Desert Icon [$6.00] is another that’s been up a long time this prep, which is the case with this race given it’s now so late in the Spring. He ran well two starts back in the Herbert Power, then failed on the wet track in the Moonee Valley Cup. He’s had 35 days between runs but Waller is obviously a quality trainer and he gets Williams on here, so gets his chance. He’s a decent shot.

3 Sound [$8.50] won this race last year. He’s now a ten-year-old, but he ran okay last start in the Queen Elizabeth at Flemington. He’s some chance.

6 Kukeracha [$8.50] has been solid over the past two runs in NSW and can go forward here. He’s some chance at the price.

7 Great House [$13] has tapered off slightly after two solid runs earlier in the prep. He’ll get back here again. It’s a long time since he’s won and I would want reasonable odds to back him.

2 Dark Dream [$16] is on the quick back-up from the Ballarat Cup. He gets the blinkers on again here but I would think he’s only a rough chance.

5 Chapada [$21] mixes his form and is getting older now. I’d want pretty long odds to back him.

Zipping Classic: Betting strategy

Best Bet Desert Icon

I had Without A Fight on top pre-scratchings, and with him out it throws it open. Value-wise I think Desert Icon is the way to go, trusting that Waller has him right.

Good luck!