The first Group 1 of the calendar year, the $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m), is set to be run under sunny skies at Caulfield on Saturday with the track rated a Good 3. The rail has been moved back into the true position for the entire course after being out 9m at last Saturday’s Manfred Stakes meeting. The star studded C.F. Orr Stakes is the highlight of the nine race program that also features the $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preludes (1100m) for both the fillies and the colts and geldings. A great day’s racing and below are our best for the meeting.
Race 1 No. 3 Tashbeeh
We will look to top up our accounts early in the day with Tashbeeh in the first, the $80,000 BenchMark 96 Handicap over 1800m. The David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained four year old is chasing a hat trick after wins over 1800m at Caulfield ad over 2000m at Flemington. Tashbeeh has drawn well at barrier two and apprentice Dylan Dunn will reduce his weight to 57kg with his 2kg claim. Tashbeeh is dropping back in class after his Open Handicap win at Flemington and is a winner over this course and distance.
Race 3 No. 7 Samara Dancer
Adelaide filly Samara Dancer has been a significant market mover at Ladbrokes since the field was released on Wednesday for the Group 2 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (1100m). The Phillip Stokes trained filly has firmed in from $14 to $8 on Friday and it will pay to follow the money. Samara Dancer has been to the races once for a three lengths win in a 1050m two year old Plate at Morphettville on November 28. The Hinchinbrook filly has since won a barrier trial on her home track and will wear the blinkers for the first time on Saturday.
Race 4 No. 7 Flying Artie
Flying Artie has drawn the outside barrier but if the pre-race hype is correct, the Mick Price trained colt will still be hard to beat in the Group 3 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m). Flying Artie was runner up at his only race start in the Group 3 $150,000 racing.com Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Spring Carnival and has since scored an effortless win in a Geelong barrier trial on February 1. Damien Oliver takes the mount and he will be testing Flying Artie as a possible ride in the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in a fortnight.
Race 6 No. 4 Holler
Three year old Holler was able to beat a host of Group 1 winners in the weight for age Group 2 $200,000 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on January 23 and will be hard to beat back against his own age in the Group 2 $200,000 Autumn Stakes (1400m). Holler was runner up to his main Autumn Stakes rival Mahuta three starts back over this course and distance and meets the Darren Weir trained colt on 2kg better terms. Damien Oliver takes the ride and should be able to go forward on Holler and sit on the pace from barrier eight.
Race 7 No. 3 Boban
Boban is chasing his sixth Group 1 win and has a great chance to achieve that in a star studded Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m). Boban is resuming for the Autumn Carnival and trainer Chris Waller has produced the six year old in the past to salute at Group 1 level first up with wins in the 2015 $750,000 Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben and in the 2015 $400,000 Memsie Stakes over the same course and distance as the C.F. Orr Stakes. Hong Kong premiership winning jockey Douglas Whyte has the job of negotiating a winning course from barrier thirteen in the eighteen horse field.