Zaaki and Anamoe line up in the feature race of the afternoon at Royal Randwick on Saturday as do Nature Strip and Eduardo in The Shorts.
The entire card is a cracker and our full 2022 George Main Stakes Day Preview can be found below.
These Highway races are often times won by a progressive type of horse and Shalstar fits that bill perfectly.
The lightly raced four year old mare has three wins from four career starts including a nice win on the Kensington track in June.
Trailled well leading into this assignment and drawn well in barrier two.
2 Units Shalstar
These Midway Handicaps are tough to get a handle on with so many different formlines and I’m happy to stay from a betting perspective.
No Bet
The Gary Portelli trained Arctic Thunder has been impressive in both runs so far this prep including a fourth at Rosehill last start when beaten under two lengths.
She will benefit from those two runs and gets out to a more suitable distance now.
Jason Collett is riding well and will steer from barrier three.
1 Unit E/W Artic Thunder
Chris Waller has another progressive type of horse on his hands in the form of Arnold who has won both his starts so far this prep in impressive fashion.
The four-year-old won his maiden by almost three lengths two back and then scored by 1.9 lengths last time out.
He looks a horse that will be capable at a higher level than this and we can capitalise on his way up through the grades.
4 Units Arnold
It was hard to miss the most recent trial win of O’president when he scorched the turf to win by over 13 lengths in front of Ingratiating and Fangirl.
He’s always a horse that has promised a lot and he was only narrowly defeated in The Coast at Gosford to close out his last campaign.
Lackeen has won just four times from 21 career starts but he is a horse cappable of a high rating on his day.
His win at The Valley by over two lengths in a benchmark 100 would have him competitive in a race of this quality and he represents good value at his current price in the Bill Ritchie Handicap.
2 Units O’president
1/2 Unit E/W Lackeen
Zougotcha stamps herself as a filly to watch this spring when taking out the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick first up.
The Chris Waller trained daughter of Zoustar ran right through the line when beating the very smart In Secret that and that filly then came out and won the Run To The Rose last weekend beating the boys in the process.
This, the Tea Rose Stakes, is another test for a filly on the improve but I think she will be very competitive in the Group 1 races for the three-year-old’s over the spring.
4 Units Zougotcha
The George Main really does looks like a race in two on paper between Zaaki and Anamoe but they have come up very short in the market.
Four year-old mare Fangirl produced some very quick closing sectionals when finishing second behind Anamoe in the Group 1 Winx Stakes first up and will take benfit out of that run.
She won’t be fully wound up at this stage in her prep with plenty of goals during the spring but she represents a bit of value at the double figure odds.
1/2 Unit Win & 2 Units Place Fangirl
The Shorts is always an excellent quality race and this year is no different.
The two at the top of the market are the obvious choices and while Eduardo has a run under the belt over Nature Strip, the latter trialled really well leading into his first up assignment.
He’s a champion sprinter Nature Strip, now with prize money topping $18.5 million and I simply think he is too good despite some valiant opposition.
5 Units Nature Strip
I love the way Gold Trip found the line when making his Australian debut at Rosehill two weeks ago and he will appreciate the step up to 2000m now in the Kingston Town Stakes.
The Australian Bloodstock team will have big plans for the five year old horse heading into the spring and this will be a good litmus test for him going forward.
2 Units Gold Trip
Larkspur Run has been placed in both starts so far this prep including a third in the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes at Wyong two weeks ago.
She will be required to carry just 54kg in this event and if Sam Clipperton can produce a good ride from barrier 16, she represents good each way value.
1 Unit E/W Larkspur Run