2017 Spring Champions Stakes Day Preview

There are a number of promising horses in this field and it should prove to be a fairly strong form race. Regent is the obvious favourite and he was only narrowed denied by The Avenger at Warwick Farm last start. He must be respected, but he had his chance to beat The Avenger last start and it is tough to get him as short as his current quote.

French Tune is a horse with x-factor. He led from start to finish to win at Rosehill Gardens last start and he still has a great deal of upside. Adam Hyeronimus will take up the running in the early stages of this race and he will give his rivals something to catch. This is a step-up in class, but at $6.50 he is the value runner in this field.

1.5 Units French Tune

Alward and Up ‘N’ Rolling fought out the finish at Rosehill Gardens last start and the market suggests that we are in for a repeat in this race. Up ‘N’ Rolling had no luck in running last start, but that could be the case again in this contest as he has drawn the inside barrier and because of that it is tough to get him as short as his current price.

That doesn’t meant that I want to bet against him either and this is a race that I am more than happy to stay out of from a betting perspective.

No Bet

Interlocuter was the first horse across the line in his return to racing, but he lost the race due to protest in controversial circumstances. There was plenty to like about the way that he savaged the line first-up and I like the fact that James Cummings has freshened him up for this race with a barrier trial in between starts. There is no doubt that he is the horse to beat.

The main danger is Mapmaker. He has been up for a long time, but he gets better every time that he has been seen at the races and he produced a career best performance to win at Rosehill Gardens last start. Adam Hyeronimus will likely press forward from the wide barrier draw and he can make his own luck in a race in which there is not a great deal of speed.

3.5 Units Interlocuter

2 Units Mapmaker

This is a very open edition of the Highway Handicap. There are some question marks over both Schedule and Cascata Rossa, but there is a lot to like about Red Knot at $11. He had excuses when he was beaten in a Highway Handicap first-up before he raced fairly in much stronger company than this in his past two starts at Warwick Farm. This is definitely not the strongest race and he is right in this at juicy odds.

1 Unit Red Knot

The Bowermans Office Furniture Handicap is not a black-type race, but it is still packed full of quality. Sir Plush returned to winning form with a dominant win at Rosehill Gardens, but this is a much tougher race and he is unlikely to be able to dictate terms like he did last start.

There are a couple of horses that I am keen to back at nice odds. Shillelagh is capable of a very high-rating performance on her day and Chris Waller has given her three barrier trials to have her right up to the mark for her racing return. She does sprint well fresh and she is right in what is an open race.

Duca Valentinois is a horse that gives me the impression that he can go to another level under the care of James Cummings. Consistent has been an issue, but he won the Scone Cup in the Autumn and his recent barrier trial at Warwick Farm suggests that he is very forward for his return to the races.

1 Unit Duca Valentinois

1 Unit Shillelagh

Viridine is a horse that has flown under the radar somewhat and is finally starting to get the wraps that he deserves. He has improved each time that he has been seen at the races during his racing career to date and the way that he found the line first-up suggests that he will relish the step back-up in trip to 1200 metres. Viridine maps to get a lovely run into this race just behind the speed and there is no doubt that he is the horse to beat in what is a fairly weak edition of the Roman Consul Stakes.

3 Units Viridine

This is a weak edition of the Spring Champion Stakes and this is a race that is lucky to be hanging on to its Group 1 status. Ace High showed plenty of fight to win the Gloaming Stakes and he is the horse to beat in the Spring Champion Stakes. Sanctioned had the perfect run to beat him in the Gloaming Stakes, but was never able to get past him and it was Ace High that was strongest on the line. The form around Ace High has proven to be strong and he looks as though he will relish the step-up to 2000 metres. There really isn’t a great deal of depth in this race and really does look to have Sanctioned covered.

3 Units Ace High

The Ron Quinton-trained duo of Daysee Doom and Dixie Blossoms fought out the finish in the Golden Pendant and a repeat does look on the cards in the Angst Stakes. Daysee Doom did not have a great deal of luck in running in the Angst Stakes, but she was still able to find the line nicely and she is a mare that has an excellent second-up record.

Dixie Blossoms was unable to run down her stablemate in the Golden Pendant, but she gets the chance to turn the tables in the Angst Stakes. She maps to get an absolutely dream run into this race with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle and she is a mare that has generally produced her best forjm at Royal Randwick.

1.5 Units Daysee Doom

1.5 Units Dixie Blossoms

This is an incredible race to finish the day with and the majority of punters will be going wide in final leg of the quaddie. I am a big fan of both Firsthand and Piracy and both horses have plenty of talent, but it is tough to get either of them as short as their current quote in a race of this quality.

There is no doubt that this is a step-up in class for Vigilance, but you can’t knock a horse that has four wins from as many starts and the form around him has been very strong. The wide barrier draw is not an issue as he gets a long way back in the run anyway.

Another horse with plenty of upside is Just Dreaming. She hasn’t produced a poor performance during her racing career to date and she has a number of high-rating performances on her resume. She will be better over further, but she can sprint well fresh.

1 Unit Vigilance

1 Unit Just Dreaming