The 2017 Coolmore Stud Stakes has drawn a star-studded field and could very well be the best race of the Spring Racing Carnival.
A capacity field of outstanding three-year-olds will contest this race and it will be an absolute sight to see when all 20 horses spread right across the famous Flemington straight.
We have done the hard work and analysed every single runner in the Group 1 event and our 2017 Coolmore Stud Stakes tips can be found below!
Trapeze Artist
Trapeze Artist could hardly have been more impressive in the Golden Rose Stakes and the big question is whether he can replicate that level of performance. He clearly relished the hot early tempo in the Golden Rose Stakes and he showed a devastating turn-of-foot in the final stages of the race. I am not convinced that the step-back in trip to 1200 metres is ideal for him and he has had injury concerns.
Kementari
Kementari drops back in trip following his big run for second in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas. There was nothing wrong with that run, but the Coolmore Stud Stakes is clearly an afterthought and I would be surprised if 1200 metres is his best distance.
The Mission
The Mission is another horse that drops back in trip following another poor effort in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas. He simply hasn’t turned up this preparation and he is deserving of his position as the extreme outsider in this field.
Summer Passage
Summer Passage had excuses in the Blue Sapphire and really hasn’t had a great deal of luck in any of his starts in Australia this campaign. He is due a change in fortune and if he can produce his best form there is no reason that he can’t be more than competitive in this race. He is over the odds at the current price of $31.
Viridine
Viridine has a great deal of upside and he has started his career with four wins from as many starts. This is easily the toughest test of his career to date and there is no doubt that he would need to improve on his performance to win what was a fairly weak Roman Consul Stakes. He could very well come out and do that and he is one of the leading contenders in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, but I can’t get him as short as his current price.
Jukebox
Jukebox was heavily backed ahead of the Blue Sapphire and he was caught wide early, but Formality was still able to beat him fair and square. For mine he has always been a horse whose reputation had exceed anything that he had actually produced on the track, but he does have the advantage of being set for this race.
Goodfella
Goodfella has been sent to Sydney after he recorded a nice win in the Brian Crowley Stakes at Royal Randwick a fortnight ago. He is a horse that still has plenty of upside, but this is a big step-up in class and he would need to find several lengths of improvement to be a genuine winning chance.
Merchant Navy
Merchant Navy has been freshened up since he finished tenth behind Trapeze Artist in the Golden Rose. That performance did expose him somewhat as he was never able to get into the contest and I think he may be just below the level that is required to win a race of this quality.
Dracarys
Dracarys won the Up & Coming Stakes and looked like a horse on the way up, but he was fairly flat in the Golden Rose Stakes. I doubt that the drop back in trip is too his advantage and he is another horse that would need to find plenty of improvement to be any chance.
Eptimum
Eptimum absolutely bolted in to win the Red Anchor Stakes at The Valley on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day and he ran serious time in doing so. He beat Single Bullet by three lengths and that form ties into Viridine as Single Bullet chased him home in both the Heritage Stakes and the Roman Consul Stakes. He makes his own luck right on the speed and he goes into the Coolmore Stud Stakes as a genuine contender.
Lone Eagle
Lone Eagle has promised plenty during his racing career without ever really delivering. He was not disgraced when third behind Formality and Jukebox in the Blue Sapphire, but I’m not sure that he is up to this level.
Malahat
Malahat was beaten fairly comprehensively in both the Heritage Stakes and the Brian Crowley Stakes. It is a stretch to think that he could win this race.
Andaz
Andaz is another horse that comes out the Brian Crowley Stakes in Sydney and he is a lightly-raced horse that still has plenty of upside. You have to respect the stable and he does look like a nice horse, but this race may have come around a bit too quick for him.
Wassergeist
Wassergeist was beaten in the Gothic Stakes and this race is much tougher than that.
Houtzen
Houtzen is the first of the fillies in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and she is one of the most interesting runners in the field. She led from start to finish to win the Scarborough Stakes at The Valley before she tired late to finish seventh after leading in the early stages of The Everest. It will be interesting to see how she handles the Flemington straight and there is still a genuine query over her ability to run out a strong 1200 metres when the pace is on early.
Catchy
Catchy drops back to 1200 metres following a credible performance in the Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas. This would be a stellar training performance from the Lindsay Park team, but all of her best form has been over 1200 metres and she showed that she can handle the Flemington straight when she won the Danehill Stakes. In saying that, she is racing like a horse that is a bit tired and she is another that is tough to get as short as her current price.
Tulip
There were plenty of racing experts – myself included – questioning why Tulip was included in The Everest field, but she ran a peach of a race to finish fifth and a repeat of that effort would have her right in the Coolmore Stud Stakes. The fact that her last race start was over 1200 metres is a genuine advantage and she has never been far away at this level. She represents a touch of value at her current price of $14.
Formality
Formality returned to winning form with a tough victory in the Blue Sapphire. She is a consistent filly that always rates at just about the same figure, but my question with her is whether she has the upside to win a race of this quality as she was exposed somewhat in the Golden Rose Stakes.
Invincible Star
Invincible Star is a lightly-raced galloper that still has plenty of upside and she is the value in the Coolmore Stud Stakes. She did have all the favours in the Thoroughbred Club Stakes, but the way that she found the line was most impressive and she can still improve on that effort. The sit and sprint down the straight should really suit her and she can give the Gai Waterhouse stable another feature race win.
Limestone
Limestone fell last time she raced at Flemington in the Danehill Stakes and she was a touch disappointing in the Thousand Guineas Prelude. She hasn’t really kicked her from her two-year-old days.