2018 All Aged Stakes Day Preview

The Highway Handicap returns this weekend and it should come as no surprise that Matthew Dunn has a strong hand. Count Cumani returned to the races with a solid performance at Grafton and he should take plenty of improvement from that run. He is unbeaten second-up and he does have the benefit of leading hoop Brenton Avdulla in the saddle.

1.5 Units Count Cumani

This is a tricky race to assess from a punting perspective as a number of the leading chances will be returning to the races for the first time this campaign. The likes of Handfast, Tessera, Test The World, Dissolute, Crafty Cop, Anatola, Star Reflection and In Times Of War could all win without surprising and there are simply too many winning chances to bet into this race with any real confidence.

No Bet

Dothraki has a clear class edge over the rest of this field and there is no doubt that he is the horse to beat. It is tough to back a horse that has gone so long without being the first horse to cross the line – he won the Maurice McCarten Stakes on protest – but he has been in excellent form this preparation and he makes his own luck right on the speed.

2 Units Dothraki

Holy Snow will step-up to 2000 metres for the first time in the Frank Packer Plate and he gives the impressive that he will relish the extended trip. He ran excellent closing sectionals in both the Phar Lap Stakes and the Carbine Club Stakes and the form around him has been nothing short of outstanding. Mark Zahra jumps in the saddle and there are few jockeys anywhere in the country that are in better form.

2 Units Holy Snow

The Carr Stakes is another very open betting race and there are a stack of winning chances. Moss Trip is a filly that does appeal at her current price. She has been freshened-up since she finished a credible fifth in the Surround Stakes and I like the fact that Team Snowden have given her a barrier trial between starts. She maps to get a dream run right on the speed with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle and she is he value runner in this open affair.

1.5 Units Moss Trip

It is hard to know what to make of the Sires’ Produce Stakes that was won by extreme outsider El Dorado Dreaming and I am keen to oppose that form line. Irukandji did not have a great deal of luck in running, but he was still able to win The Schweppervescence in impressive fashion and he should have no issues running out a strong 1600 metres. This is not a race that I want to get heavily invested in, but he is definitely over the odds at his current price of $11.

1 Unit Irukandji

The All Aged Stakes is always an intriguing betting race and the 2018 edition is set to be no exception. Trapeze Artist was excellent in the TJ Smith Stakes and if he is able to replicate that performance he will prove very tough to beat, but he does have a history of producing these spike performances and failing to back them up at his next start. Because of that, I can’t get him as short as his current price.

The TJ Smith Stakes wasn’t really run to suit Brave Smash and I think that he will be better over the 1400 metres. He won the Futurity Stakes over this trip earlier in his campaign and his best form is right up there with that of Trapeze Artist. The $8 is big overs and I would be surprised if he isn’t well-backed.

The x-factor in this field is Satono Rasen. It has been a long time since he recorded a race win, but he did win at Group 2 level in Japan and we have seen time and time again how well Japanese horses do perform in Australia. He is worth the gamble at the juicy odds.

1.5 Units Brave Smash

½ Unit Satono Rasen

This is an interesting edition of the JRA Plate. Arbeitsam steps-up to 2000 metres following his gallant third in the Doncaster Mile and there is no reason that he can’t return to winning form. He showed that he is capable of running out a strong 2000 metres when he won the Neville Sellwood Stakes and he could have the majority of this field off the bit a long way from home in this contest. Adam Hyeronimus will ride him very aggressively and he will prove tough to catch in the concluding stages of this race.

1.5 units Arbeitsam

Osborne Bulls has been very well-placed by James Cummings and he finds himself in another very winnable race at Royal Randwick this afternoon. He found the line strongly to record a very classy win at Rosehill Gardens last start and this race isn’t much tougher. He has a lovely turn-of-foot and he can finish over the top of his rivals late.

4 Units Osborne Bulls