2018 George Main Stakes Day Preview

Outside of Matthew Dunn, no trainer has a better record in the Highway Handicap than Matthew Dale and he has accepted with a promising mare in the form of Sei Stella. She has recorded two wins from three starts over 1000 metres and she clearly has plenty of speed. Jay Ford will be able to take her straight to the front and she will give her rivals something to catch.

2 Units Sei Stella

Neutrality was not disgraced when he finished second behind Graff in the San Domenico Stakes and there is no horse of that quality in this field. I like the fact that Team Snowden have kept him at 1100 metres and he will make his own luck right on the speed. Santos is the obvious danger, but Neutrality does have a fitness edge and he can record his first race win this campaign.

4 Units Neutrality

Another Dollar found the line nicely to finish fourth behind Best Of Days fourth-up and she is well-placed to return to winning form in the Shoot Out Mile. It has been a while between wins, but she finished second in the Gold Coast Bracelet, The Roses and the Queensland Oaks last campaign. She won second-up last campaign and she maps to get a lovely run into this contest from the inside barrier.

1.5 Units Another Dollar

Redzel returned to his best with a strong win in the Concorde Stakes and there is no doubt that he sets the benchmark in this contest. The question is whether you can get him as short as his current price of $1.80. For me, the answer to that question is no. The likes of English and Brave Smash are capable of a high-rating performance on their day, while Invincible Star should take good benefit from her run in the Concorde Stakes.

Redzel makes his own luck right on the speed and he is just about as consistent as they come, so I don’t want to bet against him. I still won’t be diving in at the $1.80 mark and this is a race that I am happy to stay out of from a betting standpoint.

No Bet

Pierata will start the Bill Ritchie Handicap as a clear favourite. He returned to the races with an excellent win in the Missile Stakes, but he has had an issue in between starts that saw him scratched from the Tramway Stakes. Trainer Gregory Hickman believes that the Pierro entire has made a full recovery and if he performs at anywhere near his best he will prove very tough to beat.

I’m a big fan of Kaonic and I’m interested to see how he performs at this level this campaign. He has recorded two fast-finishing wins in his two race starts this campaign and he is a horse with a huge amount of upside. It would not surprise if he stamped himself as a genuine Epsom Handicap contender.

3 Units Pierata

1.5 Units Kaonic

Winx returns to the races in the George Main Stakes and it should come as no surprise that she will start this contest as a dominant fashion. She has the chance to become the first horse in history to win the George Main Stakes three years in a row and it would take a much braver man than me to bet against her. Her win in the Winx Stakes was enormous against the bias of the day and, as always, it is almost impossible to see her getting beaten.

Unforgotten is now on a path towards the Epsom Handicap and she should be fairly forward for this assignment, while there was a lot to like about the first-up effort of Egg Tart. Le Romain was very disappointing in the Tramway Stakes, but his best form is good enough to run second in this contest.

No Bet

The Tea Rose Stakes might be the most interesting betting race of the afternoon and there are a host of winning chances. Miss Fabulass has always given the impression that she will be better when she gets out to 1400 metres and she was left a bit flat-footed in the Furious Stakes over 1200 metres last start. She maps to get the run of the race from barrier five with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle and that could prove to be the difference in what is a very open race. You can make a case for El Dorado Dreaming, Oohood, Fiesta, Outback Babrie and Pretty In Pink as well, so this isn’t a race that I want to get overly invested in.

1 Unit Miss Fabulass

Avilius has done nothing wrong in his two race starts in Australia to date and he will start the Kingston Town Stakes as a clear favourite. There is no doubt that he is racing well and he should improve with another run under his belt, but this is a tougher assignment and I can’t get him as short as his current quote.

Libran’s run in the Chelmsford Stakes was nothing short of enormous and he might be racing in career best form. He will get a long way back from the wide barrier draw, but that is his usual pattern and he will be storming home late. His record at 2000 metres is outstanding and he won this race 12 months ago.

A horse with the quality of Big Duke should not be going around at $41. Both his runs this time in have been better than they look on paper and he is a horse that doesn’t peak until he gets to 2000 metres. He has recorded two wins from his four previous race starts at Royal Randwick.

1.5 Units Libran

½ Unit Big Duke

Trekking was not disgraced when second behind Don’t Give A Damn second-up and he still has the scope to improve on that performance. He looks set to get the run out of the race just behind the leading group and he will have the opportunity to pounce late.

Eawase looked like a potential star when she won the Bill Carter Stakes during the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and Team Snowden scratched her from a weaker race to contest this. She will get a long way back from the wide barrier draw, but she does have an excellent turn-of-foot and she can finish over the top of her rivals.

2 Units Trekking

1.5 Unit Eawase