2017 George Main Stakes Day Preview

George Main Stakes Day begins with a competitive edition of the Highway Handicap. Surprise Party has failed to fire in her two previous attempts in a Highway Handicap, but she is a genuine 1000 metres specialist and she simply doesn’t run well over 1100 metres. He has three wins from as many starts over 1000 metres and this is her chance to breakthrough in a Highway Handicap.

1.5 Units Surprise Party

Imposing Lass may never have a better chance to return to winning form. She was only narrowly denied in both the Toy Show Quality and the Mona Lisa Stakes and this is a genuine drop in class. The Makfi mare is unbeaten third-up, she is unbeaten at a mile and she has the benefit of Hugh Bowman in the saddle. She ticks every box in this race and she should prove very difficult to beat.

3 Units Imposing Lass

Godolphin have a very strong hand in the Heritage Stakes and I would be surprised if James Cummings doesn’t trainer the winner. Viridine is the least fancied of the three Godolphin runners in this field, but he does represent the value at his current price. He recorded two wins from as many starts in the Winter and he still looked to have a great deal of improvement in front of him. Brenton Avdulla will get a dream run just behind the speed and he is a horse that could go a long way this preparation.

1.5 Units Viridine

Chris Waller has the two favourites in the form of Tom Melbourne and Comin’ Through and out of that duo I am keen on Comin’ Through. He returned to the races with a tough victory at Royal Randwick and the fact that Chris Waller has given him a barrier trial in between starts is a big positive. He still has the scope to improve on his first-up effort and if he does that he will be very tough to beat.

A horse that is worthy of a small bet at big odds is Havana Cooler. He failed to fire in his only start during the Autumn, but he is a much better horse than that effort suggests. All three of his wins have come first-up and he is capable of a high-rating performance fresh.

2.5 Units Comin’ Through

½ Unit Tom Melbourne

Formality will not take on Champagne Cuddles and Alizee again in the Tea Rose Stakes, but the Lindsay Park team will still be represented in the form of Tulip. Tulip showed just as much talent as Formality as a two-year-old – arguably more – and she can continue the strong start that Lindsay Park have made to the 2017 Spring Racing Carnival.

Tulip was only narrowly denied by Roomooz in her return to the races at The Valley and the track pattern was definitely against her in that race. She maps to get a lovely trail into this race with Hugh Bowman in the saddle and she will be very tough to beat.

This is a big step-up in class for Pandemonium, but she has always been a filly with plenty of talent and she has finally started to put it altogether in her past two starts. She makes her own luck right on the speed and is the knockout chance in the race.

2.5 Units Tulip

1 Unit Pandemonium

It has not been particularly smooth-sailing for Winx during her 2017 Spring Racing Carnival campaign, but she still has the chance to make it 20 wins on the trot when she contests the George Main Stakes – I refuse to call it the Colgate Optic White Stakes. Winx made things hard for herself when she missed the start in the Warwick Stakes and she was given a genuine test by Red Excitement in the Chelmsford Stakes. Barrier one is not ideal for the mare as she could get boxed in and there is obviously no way that I would be diving in at the $1.08 odds.

Am I willing to back anything to beat her?

The answer to that question is probably no, but if the freak wasn’t in the race I would be fairly keen on Happy Clapper to record a maiden race win.

There is always excitement when Winx is involved and I am happy to sit back and enjoy this race without having any money invested.

No Bet

This is a fascinating edition of The Shorts and it is set to be a key form reference for The Everest. Team Snowden have changed their plans with Redzel after she was given a spot in The Everest and she will now run in The Shorts rather than the Moir Stakes at The Valley. Team Snowden have spaced out Redzel’s run in his past two campaigns with plenty of success and his best form has generally been when he is fresh, but he is absolutely flying this campaign and he is worthy of his place as favourite.

Chautauqua returns to Royal Randwick where he has an excellent record, but all of the best performances of his career have been over 1100 metres. His first-up record is strong, but in recent campaigns he has required a few runs before he has performed at his best and that is why the market is keen to take him on here.

The forgotten horse heading into The Shorts is English, but she could the horse to beat. She never runs a bad race first-up – she has three wins from four starts fresh – and she is better suited to 1100 metres than Chautauqua. The Encosta De Lago mare is capable of a spike performance on her day and there is no doubt that she can win a race of this quality.

There are simply too many question marks over all the leading contenders in The Shorts and this is another race that I am happy to sit back and enjoy.

No Bet

The Chelmsford Stakes is the key form reference for the Kingston Town Stakes and the market believes that Winx’s beaten brigade are the horses to beat – Antonio Giuseppe, Chocante and Life Less Ordinary dominate this betting market.

I am keen to oppose those horses, but I still like a horse that comes out of that race in the form of Harper’s Choice. He has not been disgraces in his three race starts over unsuitable distances and he finally gets up to 2000 metres. He went to another level when he got out to staying trips in the Autumn – he was an excellent second in the Australian Derby – and he makes his own luck right on the speed. He is a great each-way bet at the current price of $16.

1/2 Unit Harper’s Choice

Theanswermyfriend has been sent to Sydney after finishing second in his two race starts this campaign in Melbourne. I would have liked to see him over 1400 metres third-up, but he did improve each time that he was seen at the races in the Autumn and he is a horse that is capable of reeling off a very fast midrace sectional. He makes his own luck right on the speed and he has an excellent chance to return to winning form.

Echo Effect produced a couple of high-rating performances in the Autumn – he was denied by the narrowest of margins in the Hobartville – and if he is able to replicate that form he will be right in the finish. He will press forward from the wide barrier draw with Brenton Avdulla in the saddle and he really does appeal at close to double-figure odds.

2 Units Theanswermyfriend

1 Unit Echo Effect