The Championships Day 2 Preview

Amercement is yet to be tested at the mile, but she’s returned several pleasing efforts during her short career and looks the one to beat in the first on Day 2 of The Championships. The Lonhro filly won the Group 3 Widden Stakes first-up in February before a fair effort to finish midfield in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace. She made up plenty of ground late to finish fourth on the heavy going in the Group 3 Magic Night last time out and the performance suggested that the increase in trip will suit. She’s been kept up to the mark with a trial and looks ready to go.

2 Units Amercement

Wild Planet will carry plenty of benefit into his second-up appearance on Saturday and looks tough to beat. The Animal Kingdom gelding was a strong and consistent performer for Team Hawkes in spring and hit the line well to finish a head second behind Krone in the Listed Darby Munro three weeks ago. He’ll need some luck from a wide draw but looks beautifully placed.

Tahitian Dancer resumed for a smart win at Mornington and looks a touch of overs at double-figure odds. The Dawn Approach filly is another horse that is sure to have taken plenty of benefit from her first hit-out and has raced well on a soft track previously. She gets in well at the weights.

2 Units Wild Planet

0.5 Units Tahitian Dancer

The first capacity field of the day and extremely difficult to line up the form of the Provincial Championship Final but plenty of value around every runner.

Mandylion has drawn a potentially awkward barrier (13) but has been a consistent metro performer for Gwenda Markwell and is up to winning a race of this quality. The Nicconi mare was outclassed in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic two starts back but ran well for fourth in the Kembla Grange Qualifier last time out and looms as a live chance, should she gain a start.

0.5 Units Mandylion (1st emergency)

Kiamchi has the runs on the board and looks extremely hard to beat in the Percy Sykes Stakes. The daughter of Sidestep won the Group 3 Magic Night three starts back before producing a huge turn of foot to beat the country’s best two-year-olds in the Group 1 Golden Slipper. She backed that up with a credible run for third in the Group 1 Inglis Sires last weekend and the return to 1200m looks ideal.

3 Units Kiamichi

Zousain failed to fire in the Group 1 Newmarket last time out, but there is no denying his class and he will enjoy a return to three-year-olds company in the Arrowfield Sprint. The Zoustar colt finished a close-up second in two Group 1 races in spring and resumed this time for a credible second in the Group 3 Zeditave. He’s been given a trial on the soft-going in the lead-up to this race and will be piloted by James McDonald.

Encryption is another horse that will relish a return to his own age-group and he is rock-hard fit for this. He mustered a career-best performance to finish a close-up second in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate in February and has since finished seventh in the Newmarket and fourth in the Group 1 Galaxy. Hugh Bowman jumps into the saddle and he could receive the run of the race from barrier 3.

2 Units Encryption

1 Unit Zousain

Verry Elleegant has returned to the track in outstanding form this time and looks extremely difficult to beat in the Oaks. The Zed filly produced an eye-catching performance to finish second over 1400m first-up, before recording consecutive wins in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes and Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes respectively. She looks the one to beat and probably wins, but she’s too short for me at $1.70 and I am happy to watch.

No Bet

It looks like being the final time that we’ll see the world’s best racehorse step out competitively and understandably, it’s all about Winx in Queen Elizabeth Stakes betting. The champion mare has recorded thirty-two consecutive wins, twenty-four in Group 1 company and a record four-consecutive Cox Plates during her incredible racing career. Sit back and enjoy this race for the spectacle that it is.

No Bet

Big Duke has returned to the track in typically strong form this time and is faced with a great opportunity to record his first win at Group 1 level. The Raven’s Pass gelding has finished second in three of his four starts and produced a particularly impressive performance to finish behind Avilius in the Group 1 Tancred a fortnight ago. There’s no doubt that he’ll see out the two miles and with even luck, he can fight out the finish.

Charlie Appleby’s record in Australia is simply outstanding and he’s offered another great opportunity a Group 1 success with Dubhe. The four-year-old stayer has posted three wins from his seven career starts and arrives in Australia by way of Dubai and a dominant win over two miles. Kerrin McEvoy takes the ride from barrier 4.

3 Units Dubhe

1 Unit Big Duke

Prompt Response is primed for a big third-up run in the day’s final Group 1 feature race and looks a live chance at odds ($13 at publish). The Group 1 winner resumed with a fair effort for third behind Trapeze Artist in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes before tracking home well to finish fourth in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic last time out. She can find a nice position in transit from barrier 6 and is up to winning another race of this quality.

Dixie Blossoms doesn’t run a bad race and is another horse that looks over the odds in Coolmore Legacy betting. The daughter of Street Boss claimed a deserving win in the Coolmore Classic two starts back and hit the line well for sixth in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile last weekend.

2 Units Prompt Response

1 Unit Dixie Blossoms

Invincibella flies fresh and looks a live chance at odds in an open edition of the Sapphire Stakes. The I Am Invincible mare resumed in spring for a dominant win in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes and continued to impress on her way towards a successful defence of the Magic Millions Fillies & Mares race. She’s had the benefit of a trial and looks like having conditions to suit.

1 Unit Invincibella