With extreme heat predicted for Melbourne this Saturday, we’re down to an eight race card at headquarters and the possibly of an early start.
It will be all about quality over quantity with five races to be run at Group level.
The Super Saturday meeting will be headlined by the running of the Group One Newmarket Handicap and it looks to be an open affair.
The time honoured event was first run back in 1874 and has been taken out by some champion sprinters throughout the years.
Black Caviar set a new race record back in 2011 and the late Bart Cummings took home the trophy on eight occasions between 1972 and 1991.
Star mare Imperatriz heads the betting as she aims for her seventh straight victory but will have to carry 58kgs to do so.
The rail will be out 4m for the entire circuit and the track is currently rated a good 4.
Our Ladbrokes preview can be found below.
Race 1 - 10:45pm AEDT
CIRCA PLATE 3YO (1100 METRES)
Hedged returns to the races.
The son of Capitalist showed plenty of natural talent last campaign when taking out a Seymour maiden in dominant fashion before a very tidy effort to finish fourth behind Veight at Group Three level.
Given four weeks between runs, he then recorded another commanding victory, this time in a three year old Handicap on the Hillside.
Prepared by the Price / Kent team, the gelding has been given two jump outs leading into this and there was a lot to like about his most recent hit out.
Jamie Kah guided him to victory last start and she will again do the steering.
1 unit – HEDGED
Race 2 - 11:15pm AEDT
TAB AUSTRALIAN CUP PRELUDE (1800 METRES)
Young Werther resumed with a very encouraging effort in the Carlyon Cup four weeks ago and will relish the rise in trip here.
After settling in the ‘one – one’ he was just left flat footed as the sprint when on but picked up nicely over the final 100m and he will have taken good improvement from the outing.
A five time Group One placegetter, the six year old son of Tavistock has proven himself a class horse and he gets in beautifully at the set weights.
After winning on debut he took a long time before finding the winner’s stall again but was able to make it two on the trot last campaign and he looks to have come back in top order again this time in.
Damien Lane retains the ride for Danny O’Brien and he’s set to enjoy a cosy run from the inside draw.
1 unit – YOUNG WERTHER
Race 3 - 11:45pm AEDT
SUPER SATURDAY PLATE 3YO QUALITY (1400 METRES)
Legacies resumed with a fair effort in the Zeditave Stakes and will have taken improvement from the run.
After jumping away well she wasn’t able to obtain cover and raced wide but just held her ground to the line.
A daughter of Justify, she kicked off career in style, making it back to back wins before finishing runner up to the very handy, Veight.
She didn’t have the best of luck at two subsequent outings and was then sent to the paddock.
Blake Shinn goes onboard for the first time and if he can find cover from the wide gate she’ll be right there at the finish.
1 unit – LEGACIES
Race 4 - 12:15pm AEDT
MSS SECURITY SIRES' PRODUCE STAKES 2YO GROUP 2 (1400 METRES)
Stay Focused comes off a gallant effort in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
From a wide gate the son of Cosmic Force found himself three wide without cover and stuck on gamely to hold fourth, beaten just over a length.
Only lightly raced with the three runs to date, he put the writing on the wall at his debut run, scoring a comfortable win over 1200m at Geelong.
Thrown in the deep end at his second start, he rose to the challenge, finishing runner up in the Blue Diamond Prelude despite a wide run.
He’s drawn to get the right run here in the VRC Sires’ under Mark Zahra, who goes onboard for Phillip Stokes.
2 units – STAY FOCUSED
Race 5 - 12:45pm AEDT
YULONG NEWMARKET HANDICAP GROUP 1 (1200 METRES)
Buenos Noches just got too far out of his ground and powered home from the tail when resuming in the Expressway Stakes three weeks ago.
Matthew Smith as since given him an 800m jump out down the straight here where he performed well and he looks ready to go.
The four year old entire has always displayed above average ability but hasn’t always had the best of luck.
He was brilliant in the Champions Sprint in the Spring, charging home to get within a length of Imperatriz under WFA conditions, he meets her 4.5kgs better and gets the blinkers on for the first time.
His record at Flemington is hard to overlook and he gets the inform, Blake Shinn in the saddle.
1 unit – BUENOS NOCHES
Race 6 - 1:20pm AEDT
TAB KEWNEY STAKES 3YO FILLIES GROUP 2 (1600 METRES)
It was a tough watch for Autumn Angel supporters last start.
The aptly named daughter of The Autumn Sun settled back on the rail after a slightly slow getaway and never looked a winning hope in the Angus Armanasco Stakes.
Ridden for luck, she didn’t find clear air until the final 200m where she charged late.
A highly talented filly, having placed in the Stutt Stakes before taking out the Ethereal Stakes in the Spring, she will have taken plenty of benefit from that first up outing and she’ll be suited up to the mile.
Mark Zahra goes onboard for Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman and I think she’ll relish getting out onto the big Flemington track in the Kewney Stakes.
1 unit – AUTUMN ANGEL
Race 7 - 1:55pm AEDT
FURPHY SHATFESBURY AVENUE HANDICAP GROUP 3 (1400 METRES)
Amenable resumes and the son of Lonhro has been gelded since we last saw him on raceday.
A winner of two races, the four year has been stakes placed on two occasions and performed very well in three appearances at Group One level.
He’s highly talented and looks to have come back in top order with two very pleasing jump out wins.
Damian Lane guided him to victory first up last campaign and will go back in the saddle for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.
3 units – AMENABLE
Race 8 - 2:30pm AEDT
MATRON STAKES MARES GROUP 3 (1600 METRES)
Unusual Culture has been racing well against quality opposition and she looks beautifully placed here back against her own sex.
Beaten only a length in the Carlyon Cup two runs back, the Ciaron Maher trained mare was solid again last start under WFA conditions in the Group Two Peter Young Stakes.
She’s hard fit, back to mile looks ideal and she gets in with just 55kgs.
Jamie Kah sticks with her and barrier six should see her afforded every chance.
1 unit – UNUSUAL CULTURE