The Aurie’s Star Handicap over 1200m down the Flemington straight on Saturday has only attracted a field of nine runners but the Group 3 Handicap is reminding us that the Spring Carnival is just around the corner.
Several of the runners will be contenders for Group 1 races in the coming months and include I Am A Star, Voodoo Lad, Poetic Dream and Home Of The Brave.
Victoria’s leading trainer Darren Weir will saddle up three runners, Voodoo Lad, Camdus and Man From Uncle while European imports Home Of The Brave and Poetic Dream will be testing the waters for later assignments in the Spring Carnival.
Bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au are finding it tough to isolate a clear cut favourite with five of the nine runners under the $10 mark with Voodoo Lad being marked as the early pick fractionally ahead of the James Cummings trained Home Of The Brave.
We have analysed every horse in the field and our 2018 Aurie’s Star Handicap tips can be found below.
Home Of The Brave
English import Home Of The Brave will carry the Godolphin royal blue colours at his first outing on Australian soil and the seven year old has indicated that he has settled into his new home with a win and a second in two recent barrier trials at Rosehill and Randwick. The James Cummings trained Home Of The Brave is a Group 3 winner in England and race day betting will be a good guide to his first up chances.
Voodoo Lad
Voodoo Lad is the first of Darren’s Weir’s three Aurie’s Star Handicap runners and the seven year old has regained some of his best form at his last two outings at Caulfield. Voodoo Lad was back in the winner’s stall two starts back in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes over 1100m before running second to the brilliant Vega Magic in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes over 1200m. Voodoo Lad is yet to win down the Flemington straight but has been placed three times and includes a second in the 2017 Group 1 Newmarket Handicap. Has the bonus of Damien Oliver in the saddle.
Chamois Road
The Patrick Payne trained Chamois Road is the winner of three of his last four starts and is dropping back in distance after winning over 1400m at Caulfield last start. The six year old gelding tries hard and is very consistent and is one of the value runners at double figure odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Rich Charm
Scratched
I Am A Star
I Am A Star beat the older mares as a three year old in winning the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) during the 2016 Melbourne Spring Carnival and was in the winner’s stall again last campaign with her win in the Group 2 1600m Stocks Stakes at The Valley during the 2017 Spring Carnival. The Shane Nichols trained five year old mare has won once from four first up attempts and might find her rivals too slick over the 1200m at her first run back since failing to beat a runner home in last year’s Myer Classic.
Ability
Ability is one of the outsiders of the field after being well beaten at his last two starts down the Flemington straight in weaker class.
Poetic Dream
German import Poetic Dream finished just behind the placegetters at his only start in Australia when fifth in the Group 3 Autumn Handicap over 1400m at Flemington in March. The Lindsay Park Team is expecting a very competitive first up performance after Poetic Dream trialled brilliantly with the blinkers on recently and the five year old will be wearing the hood in the Aurie’s Star Handicap. One of the main chances.
Camdus
Camdus is the second of the Darren Weir runners and is a last start winner over the same course and distance as the Aurie’s Star Handicap. Camdus will find this slightly tougher and place chances look best.
Man From Uncle
Darren Weir’s third runner, Man From Uncle, has been unplaced from two outings for the stable and looks tested here on his last start sixth down the Flemington straight in the Listed Victorian Spring Series Final.
Brave Song
Brave Song scored a first up nose win over 1100m down the Flemington straight on July 21 against his own age but is facing a much tougher field in the Aurie’s Star Handicap. A 4kg drop in weight will help his chances.