2018 Mackinnon Stakes Day Preview

Manuel is on the quick back-up after he finished a gallant second behind Fifty Stars on Melbourne Cup Day. I love horses on the quick back-up during the Melbourne Cup Carnival and there is no horse with the quality of Fifty Stars in this field. Manuel has been very consistent this campaign and he is well-placed to claim another race win.

2.5 Units Manuel

Lucky For All was able to return to winning form with a fast-finishing win at Caulfield last start and he does look like a horse that will be even better suited to Flemington. He still has the scope to improve on his last start win and he is definitely the class runner in this field. Anything better than $2.50 is well and truly over the odds.

3 Units Lucky For All

Yulong January was scratched from the Carbine Club Stakes and will instead run in this race. He started his racing career with three straight wins and he lost no admirers with his performance in the Gothic Stakes. Regan Bayliss took him straight to the front in the early stages of the race, but he was pestered by a riderless horse and was still able to tough it out to finish a close second. The form coming out of the Gothic Stakes has been very strong and this race is definitely weaker.

2 Units Yulong January

There are plenty of winning chances in the Chatham Stakes. Spectroscope returned to the races with a close third at Royal Randwick and he is a horse that usually does improve second-up. His best form is definitely good enough to win this contest and he maps to get a lovely run in transit with William Buick in the saddle. The $15 is well and truly over the odds in such an open contest.

1 Unit Spectroscope

This isn’t the strongest edition of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but it is still a very interesting betting race. It has been a while between wins for Libran, but he has been knocking on the door this campaign. He got a long way back and savaged the line in The Metropolitan before he ran well against the pattern of the track in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup. The long Flemington straight will suit him and he maps to get a lovely run in transit from barrier four.

1.5 Units Libran

The Matriarch Stakes is another very open betting race. The majority of these mares look to have found their level and I think that Aqua D’ivina is the horse with upside. She has recorded four wins from her seven race starts and she has improved each time that she has been seen at the races this campaign. This is obviously a step-up in quality, but she gives the impression that the step-up to 2000 metres will be ideal and she does have a lovely turn-of-foot. She represents the value in what is an open race.

1 Unit Aqua D’ivina

Redzel and Redkirk Warrior fought out the finish in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes earlier this year and I would not be surprised to see a repeat in this contest. Redzel won this race 12 months ago and he returned to winning form with a typically gutsy win in The Everest. He is the benchmark sprinter in this country and his racing style means that he takes luck in running out of the occasion. His record down the Flemington straight is excellent and Kerrin McEvoy is riding extremely well.

Redkirk Warrior is the obvious danger and he is well and truly over the odds at his current price of $12. He flopped when he went to England for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and the July Cup, but his first-up record and his Flemington straight form is nothing short of outstanding. His wins in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes and two editions of the Newmarket Handicap have been nothing short of outstanding and this race has always been his target.

2 Units Redzel

1 Unit Redkirk Warrior

Blair House is set to start the Mackinnon Stakes as a very short-priced favourite and there is no doubt that he is the horse to beat. He wasn’t disgraced when he made his Australian racing debut in the Underwood Stakes and he showed his true quality when he was only narrowly denied by Benbatl in the Ladbrokes Stakes. That form was franked when Benbatl finished second behind Winx in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate and a repeat of that effort would make him far too strong for this field. This isn’t the strongest edition of the Mackinnon Stakes and I am happy to back him at the short quote.

5 Units Blair House

Eurack has recorded four wins from as many starts and she is a horse that clearly has plenty of ability. She hasn’t been seen at the races since she led from start to finish to win at Caulfield in February and she has had some issues, but there is no horse in this field with as much upside. The $5 currently available is worth the gamble.

1.5 Units Eurack