Living Legends Race Day Preview

Flemington will host nine races on Saturday, December 12^th – Living Legends Race Day.

The rail will be set out ten metres around the entire course and at publish, the track is rated in the Good (4) range.

Just two of the ten confirmed starters in Race 1 have race day experience and there is a case to be made for plenty.

Given everything that could happen here, coupled with the fact that multiple horses are dual acceptors, I’m happy to stay out of it.

No Bet

This is a drop in class for Free To Move and he can return to winning form.

The Unencumbered gelding beat home a quality field, including subsequent stakes winner Endanger at The Valley three back, and has since finished fifth in the Group 3 Red Anchor and third in the Listed McKenzie Stakes.

Getting out to 1400m looks ideal at this point of his preparation and he looks tough to beat.

2 Units Free To Move

Coolth will take good improvement into his second campaign task and is primed to win.

The Dundeel gelding has missed placing just once in his five career starts; his credible first-up effort for fourth behind Astraeus at The Valley last month.

He boasts plenty of upside, will relish getting further out in trip and back to Flemington, and this looks a very winnable contest for him.

3 Units Coolth

Tralee Rose is yet to taste anything but success this prep and looks the runner to beat again in Race 4 on Living Legends Day.

The Tavistock mare broke her maiden in style at The ‘Bool when resuming this time; making a successful transition to metropolitan company when winning over 1700m here second-up and continuing her rise through the grades at Ladbrokes Park, last time out.

This is harder again, but the rise in trip will suit and she can fight out the finish.

3 Units Tralee Rose

Prezado absolutely flies down the Flemington straight and he will take a power of beating again on Saturday.

The Denman gelding has gone to another level for the Ellerton & Zahra stable this year and won three consecutive races at this track and distance last time in before ending his campaign second over 1100m.

He tuned up with a decent run for third in the Listed Carlyon Stakes at The Valley a fortnight ago and will relish a return to these conditions.

5 Units Prezado

Aten will take plenty of improvement into this race and can win again.

The Fighting Sun mare mustered an eye-catching turn of foot to win by close to two lengths at Morphettville when fresh, and she is yet to finish worse than second in three previous second-up attempts.

She should be able to find a nice position in transit from barrier 3 and she shapes as a winning chance in what is a wide-open race.

2 Units Aten

Bandersnatch was very impressive when resuming and he can continue his rise through the grades at HQ on Saturday.

The four-year-old son of Casino Prince was somewhat inconsistent last time in, but a change in scenery to the Team Hawkes set-up has already started to pay dividends, and he beat home a decent BM78 field at The Valley when resuming.

With improvement from that effort and out to the 1400m, he can win again.

4 Units Bandersnatch

He’ll need some luck from a wide alley but Caffrey has improved for two starts this prep and can win at Flemington on Saturday.

The Kendargent gelding was a touch disappointing when he finished sixth in the greys race on Oaks Day when resuming, but he returned a far better effort when second in BM70 company at Ladbrokes Park last time out.

Fitter third-up, under Luke Nolen and under the conditions of this race, he’s up to winning.

2 Units E/W Caffrey

Macroura has improved for two starts back from a spell and is another horse will prove tough to beat, with appropriate luck.

The Snitzel filly won each of her first three career starts, including the Listed Woodlands Stakes, before ending her two-year-old season seventh in the Group 1 JJ Atkins.

So far this time she has finished third in races at Rosehill and Kembla Grange, and I’m interested to see what she can do down the straight.

3 Units Macroura