Gibbo love a feature race meeting and they don’t come much bigger than Cox Plate Day.
The better bets are earlier in the program. Away from that, There looks to be a stack of value through the quaddie legs and Gibbo has outlined a few horses with considering.
Race 2 – (6) Half Pipe $5.50
I was keen on this horse last week but was a touch worried about the 1200m. That proved no concern: he got back, looked the winner, but was held up late in the race. He should have gone close there, and the Sydney form before that was good. He draws inside and, if that works out, he can run well for sure. I think (2) Buggsy, with blinkers going on, is the hardest to beat.
Race 3 – (11) Joely $4.80
Just a nice filly who is working it out a bit more every start. I was questioning the Flemington form from her last run, but the winner has won again since. She made very good ground and was excellent through the line. Out to 2000m looks ideal. Every run has had merit, Williams rides from a good gate, and I feel she could be hard to hold out if the track is fair and even.
Race 4 – (3) Angels Fury $3.60 + (11) Aroused $3.80
(3) Angels Fury looks a ripper. She travels so well in races and trials, and it all looks too easy, to be honest. Her trials have been outstanding and the stable is going as well as anyone in the history of the sport. She looks bloody hard to beat, and the only issue is gate 1. I’m leaning her way, but (11) Aroused looks a good one on the way up. I love her action and she was pretty much untouched in her debut win. She’s a Snitzel filly who could improve lengths with the race-day experience, and she’s drawn on the opposite side to the other one.
Race 6 – (1) Von Hauke $13
There are some good mares in form down the bottom, but this bloke hasn’t really been set up to win until now. He is not a Caulfield horse, and getting to Flemington could see him improve lengths. He’s also rock-hard fit now and ready to show his best. The weight is not a positive, but this is not the strongest Group 2 you will ever see. He looks the value for exotics at least.
Race 7 – (18) Kizlyar $6
He’s lightly raced with a good record. His form lines up well with horses that have already run well over here. The light weight is a big positive and he is an out-and-out stayer. He might not have the turn of foot of some others, but he will stay on, and if he runs up to his recent overseas form, he probably wins.
Race 8 – (6) Birdman $11 + (10) Aeliana $4.80
This race is a tough one to line up and I couldn’t talk you out of any of them. I just love the way (6) Birdman has been going. His second-up win was outstanding, beating Cosmic Crusader, and he was rock solid last start, not far off Sheza Alibi. (10) Aeliana has always been a favourite of mine, but I’m not sure she has been at her top. She has improved with each run, and McDonald may well be the key now that she is fully fit.
Race 9 – (15) Chispa $17 + (3) Shockletz $7
Let’s start with (15) Chispa. I may have her wrong, but I loved her prep in Queensland, where she didn’t have much luck. Her last two runs have been pass marks and today is D-day. She is third-up at 2000m on a big track and has to improve here. She goes in my wide quaddie and I think she can improve sharply. (3) Shockletz is being trained for the Cup and everything says this is too short for her. She excels at 2400m-plus, but she is simply airborne (as is the stable). If they want to win here, and with blinkers going on I assume they do, she has a class edge. Even with the big weight, she will be one of the strongest late.
