A huge week of racing culminates in Champions Stakes Day – the final program of the 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
In what has already been a memorable seven days of racing that peaked with Knight’s Choice’s incredible Melbourne Cup triumph, we look ahead to another three Group 1 feature races at HQ on Saturday.
World class fields have been taken for each of the Champions Sprint, Champions Mile and Champions Stakes, while a further six races make up one of the best cards of the season.
Read on for all of my Flemington tips.
Race 1 - 12:40pm AEDT
Ronald McDonald House Charities Mile (1600m)
This is a quality race with several winning chances engaged including Angland, who I have put on top.
Angland has only made six appearances at the races since debuting, but he has stamped himself as one to follow by winning three times.
Having returned to winning form at Murray Bridge last time out, he’s ready to return to Saturday metro company and will relish getting out to a mile.
2 Units Angland
Race 2 - 1:15pm AEDT
Inglis Banner (1000m)
Bubion finished second on debut in the Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield and can go one better in the Inglis Banner.
The All Too Hard filly was easy in the market ahead of that race but kept on coming behind Miss Celine.
With natural improvement, this looks a winnable race for her.
1 Unit Bubion
Race 3 - 1:50pm AEDT
Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m)
I’m keen to give Serpentine another chance in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Serpentine has turned in plenty of smart performances since joining the Waterhouse & Bott yard last year, and while it has been a short while since he won a race, his recent efforts have suggested another victory isn’t far away.
He led them up and finished half a length second behind Okita Soushi in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup last time out, and given that horse has since finished third in a Melbourne Cup, I’m confident the form will stack up here.
3 Units Serpentine
Race 4 - 2:30pm AEDT
Listed Cirka Always Welcome Stakes (1200m)
Front Page gets back to Flemington and rates as a key winning chance.
The Magnus gelding has been a great horse throughout his career but really has gone to a new level under Matt Dale, and he was unlucky not to defend his The Kosciuszko crown when resuming last month.
With natural improvement and with James McDonald retaining the ride this week, I think he’ll be tough to beat.
2 Units Front Page
Race 5 - 3:10pm AEDT
Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m)
Quickster is third-up and ready to win.
The Moody & Coleman-trained mare experienced a meteoric rise to prominence in the autumn of this year, winning in black type company and ending her campaign a credible sixth in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks.
Having filled the minors in a BM84 at Caulfield in September, she only just missed in the Angst Stakes last time out and should relish the 2000m at Flemington this week in the Matriarch Stakes.
3 Units Quickster
Race 6 - 3:50pm AEDT
Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m)
This is an excellent edition of the Champions Sprint, and I am keen to have a couple of bets.
Bella Nipotina has been nothing short of incredible this year, and she backed up her win in The Everest with another easy win at Rosehill last week.
She’s fit, Craig Williams sticks, and she is just better than most of her rivals again.
Estriella is one that I thought represented value in Champions Sprint betting ($17 at publish).
She clearly needed her first two runs back this time to tune up, but the I Am Invincible mare was too good for them in the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint last time out.
She steps out in peak order, and I think she’ll receive every chance under Ben Melham.
2 Units Bella Nipotina
1 Unit E/W Estriella
Race 7 - 4:30pm AEDT
Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m)
Some of the best horses in the country will take their place in the Champions Mile field and I’m holding firm with Mr Brightside.
Mr Brightside has been a typically excellent performer throughout his spring preparation, winning the Makybe Diva Stakes most notably, while he finished off well for fourth in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at his latest.
He’s hard fit, we know how good he is over a mile, particularly here, and he need only even luck in running to be right in the finish again.
2 Units Mr Brightside
Race 8 - 5:10pm AEDT
Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m)
Fresh from her Ladbrokes Cox Plate demolition job, Via Sistina will step out in the Champions Stakes field and is clearly the one to beat again.
Her week leading up to the Ladbrokes Cox Plate was full of headlines, but she created the biggest ones when kicking clear to break the track record.
I think she’ll win again but she’s too short for me at $1.60, so I am instead going to select her as the winner in a Same Race Multi and pump up my odds with Royal Champion running into the first four.
The former Brit is third-up and should relish getting out to the 2000m.
Same Race Multi selections:
- No. 10 Via Sistina (Win)
- No. 8 Royal Champion (Top 4)
Race 9 - 5:50pm AEDT
World Horse Racing Grand Handicap (1100m)
Pisanello faces a rise in class into the last on Champions Stakes Day, but he’s open to improvement and it does look to be within his abilities.
The Ribchester gelding has turned in several fine performances in just nine appearances at the races, but his fresh performance this time was probably his best to date.
With natural improvement, this looks an ideal Saturday metro race for him.
2 Units Pisanello