The major race happening down under this weekend is Caulfield’s Sir John Monash Stakes that headlines the feature Melbourne winter race day boasting a bumper line up of nine events on Saturday.
Racing in Melbourne for Sir John Monash Stakes Day 2015 kicks off at 11:45am (AEST) and continues through until the last at 4:40pm with the meeting’s marquee race running as the penultimate event.
Due to jump as Caulfield Race 8 at 4:05pm, this year’s $150,000 Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) has 13 final acceptors led by the defending champion Lord Of The Sky.
We here at Ladbrokes will be running the best markets and promos on the Melbourne races at Caulfield on Saturday so make sure you’ve got an account open and ready to go.
In the meantime check out our brief Sir John Monash Stakes Day race preview below.
Feature Race
Race 8 – 4:05pm $150,000 Group 3 PFD Food Services Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m)
Thirteen sprinters face off in this weekend’s Melbourne major with the field led by Robbie Laing’s defending champ Lord Of The Sky who hasn’t won a race since this event 12 months ago. That said, he’s still the class horse to beat on the weekend after second place runs in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes in Sydney this April gone and the Group 1 The Goodwood in Adelaide last start. Adelaide also produces two raiders in this with the Ken Sweeney-trained Riziz and Lloyd Kennewell’s Heart Of A Lion who has won four of his past five starts. Also coming off a win are the Stephen Brown-trained Sea Lord and Wild Rain, Mark Kavanagh’s smart filly drawn a treat in gate four with Glen Boss to ride.
Supporting Races
Race 1 – 11:45am $80,000 Ted Rainford Plate (1100m)
Sprint race for the youngsters to kick things off but only a handful in the capacity field has previous race experience. They include the Colin Little-trained Jalan Jalan and Northkape for Robbie Griffiths drawn in barriers four and one respectively who both won their debuts and look good tips for the weekend. Green Card also comes off a first-up win and has Linda Meech riding, while Mark Kavanagh debuts Atlantic City from barrier three with Craig Newitt in the saddle.
Race 2 – 12:15pm $80,000 The Thurgood Family Plate (1200m)
Mares-only handicap has 13 acceptors including Robert Smerdon’s returning Iggimacool who hasn’t run since a fifth in the Launceston Cup back in late February. She runs well fresh but there are others representing better value including the rails-drawn Fine Approach who Damien Oliver rides on the back of a third back home in Adelaide, Mick Price’s in-form improver Pilly’s Wish and Primus four-year-old Niminypiminy.
Race 3 – 12:50pm $80,000 Henry Dwyer Racing Handicap (2000m)
Super VOBIS bonus up for grabs in the third where headliners include the Jerome Hunter-trained Statue Of Warriors who won at Moe over the mile last time out and the Luke Oliver-trained Reset three-year-old Gilchrist who is on the improve. Others in good form include Skyfire coming off a fourth over this distance at Flemington and She Eden’s last start winning Pentire three-year-old For The Fallen.
Race 4 – 1:25pm $40,000 LUCRF National Jockeys Trust Final (1200m)
BenchMark 78 handicap feature some notable sprinting types include Darren Weir’s Haradasun five-year-old Red Corner who won down the Flemington straight last time out and who should get a gun run from barrier three on the weekend. Also coming off a win but drawn the outside barrier (14) is the Peter Moody-trained Handsome Tycoon who Luke Nolen rides after a win at Sale on June 24. Don’t rule out Marwood for Michael Moroney either who was third at Sale last time out.
Race 5 – 2:05pm $80,000 Mypunter.com Join Today Handicap (1400m)
Duke Of Brunswick leads the weights with 60kg and deservingly so as the Mick Price-trained Magnus three-year-old has run top three in all but one of his 11 starts to date including his back-to-back wins in the lead-up to Saturday, most recently winning over 1400m at Sale on June 24. Other top three-year-olds in the mix include the also widely-drawn Actuariat for Greg Eurell and Lindsay Park’s Mihany in gate four for Glen Boss to ride, the Redoute’s Choice colt coming off a Flemington third from June 13.
Race 6 – 2:45pm $80,000 Wilson Medic One Handicap (1400m)
One of the stronger handicap support acts on the card this field sees the Gary Kennewell-trained Conservatorium, coming off a third back home in Adelaide over 1200m on June 6, carry the 60kg top weight. He faces a strong field of rivals though including the returning Zuma Rock for Peter Moody who was hasn’t raced since a win at Ballarat over the mile in November. Henwood gets the rails run for Glen Boss while four-year-old Not A Single Doubt mare Every Faith from the Robert Smerdon stables won her lead-up at Moonee Valley over 1600m on June 20.
Race 7 – 3:25pm $80,000 TAB Supports National Jockeys Trust Plate (1100m)
Top weight here belongs to the in-form David Brideoake-trained Our Harmony, the Nadeem filly a winner of four of her eight career runs. She was last seen taking on her own kind over 1200m at Moonee Valley when third on June 20 and should get a lovely run from barrier three. Out wide in 16 but still with claims is the John O’Shea-trained Stiletto, a nicely-bred daughter of Lonhro who shoots for her fourth win at her seventh start after saluting at Sale last time out.
Race 9 – 4:40pm $80,000 Spicer Thoroughbreds Handicap (2000m)
Big field for the last where the Chris Waller-trained Bagman (60kg) is the top weight, Damien Oliver booked to ride the veteran from barrier two. Richard Jolly’s Hioctdane is in barrier 10 shooting for a fifth win on the trot, his four most recent victories all achieved in Adelaide. Another last start winner is the Darren Weir-trained Ava’s Delight who saluted at Moonee Valley over 2040m on June 20, while River’s Lane has the right weight (54kg) and draw (7) to be competitive at a good price.