Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne is home to the best New Year’s Day racing action this Friday for Standish Handicap Day where the action is highlighted by the $150,000 Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m).
Twelve sprinters face off in this summer’s Standish Handicap field with our markets led by easing favourite Durendal shooting for his third consecutive win and second at the track and distance from the inside alley.
The other black-type on the Flemington race card for January 1 is the $150,000 Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) where a final field of 14 remain after the early scratching of Sly Romance (4).
We’re offering the hottest New Year’s Day racing odds for Flemington in Melbourne on Friday so check them out now to kick off 2016 with a win!
Race 3 – No. 1 Jacquinot Bay
It has been a while between drinks for the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained favourite who hasn’t won since February’s Summer Championship (1600m) at Sandown. This is the Galileo eight-year-old’s best chance to break the drought off some good spring – summer form. The veteran is allocated the 60kg top weight but gets in less with the apprentice claim from Dylan Dunn so is a livewire hope with those kilos. In a small eight-starter field barrier four looks ideal and he can control the race from up front leading all-the-way against easier company than his eighth to Signoff last start in Caulfield’s Lord Stakes (1700m) when carrying 58.5kg from the outside gate 13 draw.
Race 5 – No. 7 Belerson
Super consistent local Wanted four-year-old Rough Justice is the favourite second-up off a Moonee Valley win under big kilos but is out wide in barrier 12 of 13 so could falter late. That opens it up for the Peter Moody-trained Bel Esprit five-year-old Belerson to charge late with a run off the pace from barrier seven with Glen Boss in the saddle. The gelding should be set to peak three runs in off a third over 1200m at the Valley from late November and has had a short freshen-up. His last run was tremendous and the step back to 1000m down the straight will suit.
Race 7 – No. 9 Sarajevo
Last start John O’Shea’s progressive Lonhro four-year-old Sarajevo was beaten a length by this Friday’s Standish Handicap favourite Durendal over the 1200m at Flemington and looks a big chance to turn the tables over the same track and distance on New Year’s Day. The gelding is on the improve, has black-type form from the Melbourne Cup Carnival, is drawn to win in barrier four with Craig Williams taking over in the saddle and on the 54kg minimum is also better weighted than the top fancy (55.5kg) again for the rematch.
Race 8 – No. 5 Swacadelic
Markets for the Bagot Handicap have the widely-drawn Danjeu for Sydney’s Chris Waller as the narrow favourite on the back of a mile and a half win at Sandown on December 23. Aaron Purcell’s Warrnambool-trained Adlerflug five-year-old Swacadelic however comes off top form and is ready to step up in class. If he can stay out of trouble from the inside alley with Dwayne Dunn aboard this race is his to win after his third to Danjeu last time out. The extra metres will work in his favour and he is down in weights after carrying 58.5kg – 59.5kg in his last three runs that all produced top three efforts in Melbourne.