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"Deserved favourite": Why the Perth Cup is Apulia's to lose
Connor Scanlon • December 22nd, 2025 5:18 pm
Apulia bolted in from last place in the Ted Van Heemst Stakes (2100m) on Saturday, winning the $300,000 Group 2 race by 0.72 lengths for Ben, Will & JD Hayes.
Now, the five-year-old will be racing in the Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m) on New Year’s Day and he leads the market as a $2.50 favourite with Sportsbet.
WA racing analyst Peter Anthonisz believes the bay is the deserved favourite for the handicap and is primed for victory.
“Apulia reeled off a simply sensational barrier trial for a Perth Cup. He’s a deserved favourite now,” Anthonisz told SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.
“We are talking about a horse that in his three-year-old year did run a pretty competitive second to Riff Rocket (in the Group 1 Victoria Derby). So, he’s brought every bit of that Victoria Derby ability with him to Perth.
“He’s the right favourite for the Perth Cup now.”
Despite believing that Apulia is the correct favourite for the Group 2, the racing analyst admitted he wouldn’t currently be betting the stallion at his short price.
“I wouldn't be taking that price just yet,” Anthonisz said.
“I would want to see conditions unfold and also the barrier draw.”
When speaking about the dangers to the five-year-old in the Perth Cup, Anthonisz revealed that both Filthy Habits ($8 with Sportsbet) and Forever Boy ($8 with Sportsbet) can knock off the favourite.
“Look, I think the only horses who can probably challenge him are going to bring a different form out of the A.t.a. (Stakes),” the racing analyst admitted.
“Filthy Habits, he's just going to be thereabouts on speed. If he can get the timing right with his run and if he can build a gap in towards the turn, as opposed to just hitting that flat spot that he's had basically all preparation, he might be the one to just put the field under a little bit of pressure.
“So, at a bigger price, I'd say Filthy Habits.
“The other horse who I think is the logical danger, if he gets the right run, is Forever Boy.
“I think they're the two that will bring a little bit of a different form, that will get the advantage in the handicap, so to speak.
“But I think Apulia would have to significantly regress off that performance there in the Ted Van Heemst to not be competitive in the Perth Cup.”
The Perth Cup will be run on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
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