Summary of Best Bets
- Best Bet: R4 (1) Plaintiff
- Best Bet: R7 (1) Campione D’Italia
- Next Best: R9 (8) Angel Capital
- Best Value: R3 (11) Estremo
Race by race overview
Race 1
The booking of James aboard (3) Mailata is key, well backed in early markets and draws well. I expect to see (1) Aix En Provence improve second up, firm deck isn’t ideal but up to 1400m does suit this gelding who is 2/2 at the trip. The well-backed (4) Audreys Lane is next best, bringing back-to-back impressive efforts to this event.
Selections:
(3) Mailata
(1) Aix En Provence
(4) Audreys Lane
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 2
Easily one of the hardest Highways you’ll find. (3) Occult goes on top off the back of a gritty fresh win, sharp improvement to come and should enjoy the run of the race in transit which is key. (13) Andale Andale has a turn of foot on his day, lightly raced still and should enjoy the inside draw with speed on. (12) Cruzingthestars brings an unbeaten record to this Highway, peak fitness, good draw and no doubt can aim up here. (8) Xcessive Force comes off some mixed form, better suited here and gets Clark in the saddle.
Selections:
(3) Occult
(13) Andale Andale
(12) Cruzingthestars
(8) Xcessive Force
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 3
One of the better races across the meeting. Good speed on up front which should see everyone get their chance. Loved the way (11) Estremo progressed through the grades last time out in his first prep. Two very soft but smart trials and draws well enough. Happy to also back (16) Scintilla, an extended break of over 400 days but has looked very sound in her two trials. Talented mare who can use gate 6 to land on speed. (2) Signor Tortoni has the race fitness edge and brings smart formlines to this event. Gate 3 will see him land on speed. (9) Stay Focused draws poorly but goes in the mix, solid second trial after a plain first-up effort.
Selections:
(11) Estremo
(16) Scintilla
(2) Signor Tortoni
(9) Stay Focused
Suggested Bet: Estremo WIN
Race 4
Excited to see this talented, unbeaten filly (1) Plaintiff. She was enormous first up drawing the widest gate before charging home in clearly inferior outside lanes, picking up a 3.8L deficit at the 600m to scream home. Strips fitter and gets a dream map with speed on. (2) Bellazaine comes through the same event, was four-wide the trip and stuck on gamely, peak fitness now and has a tactical advantage. (4) Tomato Toastie did enough fresh to suggest he’s in the mix, up to 1400m reads well. Smart map and has to go in the numbers. (3) Karinska gets James aboard from an inside draw, hot week and dry deck may see those inside barriers key.
Selections:
(1) Plaintiff
(2) Bellazaine
(4) Tomato Toastie
(3) Karinska
Suggested Bet: Plaintiff WIN
Race 5
The Ryan & Alexiou-trained (1) Matias goes on top in this year’s Frank Packer Plate. Forgive his first-up run before an impressive second-up effort. Peaks now and draws a lovely gate. (4) Olympian crossed the line side by side with Matias in the Carbine Club, draws well here and is suited up to 2000m. Not sure what to make of (2) Providence this preparation, back-to-back plain runs but now gets back to 2000m which reads well. Intrigued to see what (6) O’Sheamus can do now with the blinkers going on, has stacks of ability but hasn’t looked interested his past two starts.
Selections:
(1) Matias
(4) Olympian
(2) Providence
(6) O’Sheamus
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 6
Not a whole lot of speed to report up front here over the 2000m. (15) Bear On The Loose was a touch flat in the Albury Cup off a massive effort the start prior. 29 days between runs and a tick-over trial suggests he’ll be nice and fit for this. (5) Travolta is becoming somewhat of a tease for punters, 2600m back to 2000m with 14 days between runs shouldn’t be an issue, draws well and finds James. All eyes are on the last start NZ G1 Breeders winner (4) She’s A Dealer, smart figure when winning that G1 and now goes to 2000m for the first time. Another watch is on (6) Encoder, smart last start winner up in Queensland, kept up to the mark with a tick-over trial and gets Lloyd aboard.
Selections:
(15) Bear On The Loose
(5) Travolta
(4) She’s A Dealer
(6) Encoder
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 7
The autumn G1 2yo contests conclude with the 1600m Champagne Stakes over the famous Randwick mile. It’s a touch average overall this year but the top end looks smart enough. Keen to side with the G1 Sires winner in (1) Campione D’Italia, backed off the map in the Sires before sitting handy on a hot speed and proving too good. Draws ideally and is ready for 1600m. The stablemate (2) Fireball is the danger, career-best effort last start in the Sires and looks ready for 1600m. (4) Southport brings a different form line, Baillieu winner but that race rated poorly, has a turn of speed and visually looks up to these. (10) Miss Chanel has proven to be one of the toughest 2yo’s to date, career-best effort in the Sires when ridden off speed, sticky gate but goes in the mix.
Selections:
(1) Campione D’Italia
(2) Fireball
(4) Southport
(10) Miss Chanel
Suggested Bet: Campione D’Italia WIN
Race 8
Intriguing race, it doesn’t look the strongest though. (1) Private Eye goes in the mix, another who has trialled up well, fascinated to see what Nash does from the draw, he’s a much better horse when put into the race. (4) Mazu goes in the mix, a model of consistency overall, wet or dry and lands on speed. (8) Kerguelen is next best, has the figures to be competitive but needs a career peak to win.
Selections:
(1) Private Eye
(4) Mazu
(8) Kerguelen
(7) King’s Secret
Suggested Bet: Private Eye WIN
Race 9
What a cracking edition we have of the G1 All Aged Stakes. Not a whole lot of speed to report up front which is key to note. The price they went up for (8) Angel Capital was wrong, brilliant in the William Reid when +3.2L his last 200m and hits this 1400m in peak order. Barrier extension on and gets James, it looks his G1. (14) Beiwacht gets a jockey change with Nash on, good two back before being ridden too fast last time in the George Ryder. Back to 1400m where he can control things reads well. (1) Giga Kick will get every chance from the draw, Clayton has done a wonderful job with this galloper, the only concern is the bone-dry deck. (6) Pericles finally draws a gate and can settle on speed on the leader’s back here. Good race.
Selections:
(8) Angel Capital
(14) Beiwacht
(1) Giga Kick
(6) Pericles
Suggested Bet: Angel Capital WIN / Beiwacht SAVE
Race 10
Massive field to round out the meeting, above-average tempo expected up front. Waller has done a wonderful job with (18) Captain Furai this time in, he went to a new level last start and looks ready to tackle black-type. Draws well and is the horse to beat. (6) Lord Penman didn’t appreciate the brutal tempo last start in the Doncaster Prelude, back to 1400m and looks to get a much softer run from the gate. (13) Snow In May was a sneaky good run behind Idle Flyer last start, 1400m is her max and with an economical run in transit. Big price. (9) Cool Jakey will land on speed and out of trouble, in the mix.
Selections:
(18) Captain Furai
(6) Lord Penman
(13) Snow In May
(9) Cool Jakey
Suggested Bet: No Bet
