The road to the Spring Carnival continues at Flemington on Aurie’s Star Handicap Day!
Won by the likes of Fields Of Omagh, Temple Of Boom, Tiger Tees and Hey Doc since its inception in 1996, the Aurie’s Star is a genuine kick-off point for Spring Carnival sprinters and another quality edition looms on Saturday.
You can find a tip for that race and the remaining eight contests on Aurie’s Star Handicap Day below.
Race 1 - 12:20pm
Benchmark 70 Handicap (1410m)
She’s yet to break her maiden, but I think that Stolen Kiss gets a great chance to do just that at Flemington on Saturday.
Stolen Kiss has incredible finished fourth in each of three starts since debuting and was last seen contesting the Group 3 Sires’ Produce down in Adelaide.
She takes further improvement and fitness into this contest and it’s a genuine drop in class.
1 Unit Stolen Kiss
Race 2 - 12:55pm
Inside Run Trophy (2530m)
Berkshire Breeze is airborne and clearly the one to beat again in Race 2 on Aurie’s Star Day.
The classy import only just missed at Caulfield when resuming in April and has since recording three-consecutive wins, highlighted by his effort in the Banjo Paterson Final a month ago.
I’m going to select him as the winner in a Same Race Multi and pump up my odds with Horrifying running into the first three.
Same Race Multi selections:
- No. 3 Berkshire Breeze (Win)
- No. 2 Horrifying (Top 3)
Race 3 - 1:30pm
Donate To RDA Australia (1410m)
There’s a case to be made for most of the nine runners engaged in this contest, including In Her Stride.
In Her Stride kicked off her prep with consecutive wins back in the autumn, and she returned from a freshen-up to finish on the placegetters’ heels here on Finals Day.
This is probably a weaker race than that one, and she’s drawn to receive a lovely run this week under Ethan Brown.
2 Units In Her Stride
Race 4 - 2:05pm
Jockeys Celebration Day Sprint (1100m)
Midtown Boss resumes in a winnable race at HQ.
Midtown Boss was a strong and consistent performer right the way through his autumn prep earlier this year, finishing worse than second once and recording a couple of lovely wins down the straight here.
His fresh record is excellent, and he can use this is a springboard into something stronger.
3 Units Midtown Boss
Race 5 - 2:40pm
VRC Season Premiere Race Day Plate (1620m)
I’m going to have something on the Kiwi raider, Gentian Blue on debut in Australia.
Gentian Blue turned in some fine performances in the autumn of this year, including a credible fifth in Group 1 company, while she worked home well to fill the minors upon resuming in late June.
She is a little over a month between starts again, but she’s bound to hold some residual fitness, and something like this does look within her abilities.
2 Units Gentian Blue
Race 6 - 3:15pm
Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m)
Right To Party has returned to the races in peak order and the Aurie’s Star Handicap looks a perfect feature race for her.
Right To Party hit the line only a head behind Boognish in the Proud Miss Stakes down at Morphettville when resuming and hasn’t taken a backwards step, winning consecutive races here including the Listed Creswick last time out.
She races well with around a month between starts and gets into this extremely well at the weights.
3 Units Right To Party
Race 7 - 3:55pm
VRC Spring Gala Plate (2000m)
Happy to stick with import St Vincents Garden second-up and out to 2000m at Flemington this week.
St Vincents Garden found form around some quality opposition over in the UK and Ireland earlier in his career and after being held up at a vital stage at the Sunshine Coast last month, he finished off well for second.
With natural improvement, there’s little doubt he’ll relish racing on the big Flemington track, he drops in the weights and this does look to be one of the more open races on the program.
1 Unit E/W St Vincents Garden
Race 8 - 4:30pm
Flemington Kentucky Bluegrass Handicap (1410m)
Gentleman Roy returned to winning form at Sandown last time out and I thought that this looked a great opportunity to return to Saturday metro company.
The black type winner spent nearly a year away from the races and clearly needed his first two runs back this time to tune up.
Having beaten home some decent gallopers at his latest appearance, he gets conditions to suit this week and some relief in the weights under Celine Gaudray.
1 Unit Gentleman Roy
Race 9 - 5:02pm
Victorian Jockeys’ Association Sprint (1200m)
Bews returns to Melbourne and strikes a winnable race on Saturday.
The Mick Price & Mick Kent Jnr-trained gelding is yet to strike in four runs back from a break, but he’s turned in some fine performances and was unlucky to only just miss in a photo last time.
He can get some cover from barrier 6 and is another who will enjoy some relief in the weights under an apprentice’s claim.
1 Unit Bews