2020 Australian Guineas Day Preview

Diamond Effort was enormous first-up from a spell and can continue a winning run of form through the first on Australian Guineas Day. The Clinton McDonald-trained mare returned some good efforts last time in before ending her prep in black type company, but she has clearly returned to the races a better horse this time and beat a BM78 field at Caulfield by more than four lengths first-up. She’ll enjoy good improvement for that effort and is primed to win. She’s opened a $1.80 favourite, but I actually think that is still a good price for her and I’m happy to take it.

5 Units Diamond Effort

Dabiyr has returned to the races in excellent form this time and the Roy Higgins Quality looks another great race for him. The five-year-old son of Redoute’s Choice has won two of four back from a spell and made a successful return to black type company when a smart winner of the Listed Torney Night Cup at The Valley two weeks ago. He’s yet to race here, but the Flemington conditions should suit and he will take plenty of beating again.

3 Units Dabiyr

Bella Nipotina couldn’t have been more impressive in the Inglis Millennium without winning and this Listed dash down the straight looks a very winnable one for her. The Lindsay Park-trained filly is yet to break her maiden in four career starts, but she’s also yet to run a bad race and this does look the perfect opportunity for her to both get the monkey of the back, and secure some black type.

2 Units Bella Nipotina

Sylvia’s Mother will take winning form into her second campaign start on Australian Guineas Day and will take plenty of beating again. The Team Hawkes-trained mare has recorded six wins from only ten career starts so far and resumed three weeks ago for a tough win in the Group 3 Bellmaine Stakes at Caulfield. She typically enjoys good improvement with a run under her belt and strikes a similar field to that she beat last time out.

4 Units Sylvia’s Mother

There’s a case to be made for a few towards the top of the market in this race, but I’m happy to have something on Yulong January, who is returning from a brief let-up. The King Of Prussia gelding went to another level in summer and won four races in succession, each harder than its predecessor before running second in the Listed John Dillon at Caulfield last time out. With even luck, he’ll be in the finish again.

2 Units Yulong January

This looks one of the more open races on the Australian Guineas card and close to every horse has claims on fighting into the winner’s stall.

William Thomas hasn’t been seen at the races since November, but he is a talented horse and is over the odds at a double-figure price ($20 at publish). The Nicconi gelding rarely runs a bad race and stepped up in class several times in spring, never looking out of place. His fresh record is outstanding (4:3-0-0) and he’ll have the services of leading West Australian William Pike for this race.

1 Unit E/W William Thomas

This is an outstanding edition of the Australian Guineas and could very well be the standout race of the autumn.

Catalyst and Alligator Blood went neck and neck all the way up the straight at Caulfield a fortnight ago and I think that the former will turn the tables on the latter in the Australian Guineas. Catalyst has been a star of the three-year-old ranks in his native New Zealand and recorded a dominant win in the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas most notably in November. He’ll take good improvement into this race and with even luck, can add an Australian feature race to his resume.

4 Units Catalyst

So Si Bon needed the run and was probably out of his depth in the Neds C.F. Orr Stakes first-up from a spell, but he’s another horse that will enjoy big improvement from that effort, and getting out to a mile in the Blamey Stakes. The So You Think gelding has been an enigma throughout his racing career but has still managed to return some excellent performances and results, and has clearly gone to another level since transferring to Lindsay Park. There’s $7 about him at the time of publish and that looks a nice price for him.

2 Units E/W So Si Bon

Just Hifalutin has been charged with carrying topweight, but she tends to grow another leg in the Flemington straight and looms as a live chance again, at a price ($10 at publish). The Reset mare simply got too far back here when resuming but hit the line with intent to finish fifth, before beating a decent field in the Sale Quality last time out.

2 Units E/W Just Hifalutin