Ten races will be run and won at Flemington on Saturday, January 18th.
The rail will be set out 9 metres around the entire course, but a generally fine week in the greater Melbourne metropolitan region has seen the track rated in the Good (4) range.
Read on for my full Flemington tips.
Race 1 - 12:15pm AEDT
Benchmark 100 Handicap (1600m)
Wings Of Song looks well placed to win again at HQ this week.
The Mendelssohn mare was excellent last time in, winning six races in succession before ending her campaign fourth in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks in SA, while she returned from a lengthy break to win over 1400m at Cranbourne in November.
She’s been freshened since that race, trialled a couple of times and can hit the ground running once more.
2 Units Wings Of Song
Race 2 - 12:45pm AEDT
VRC Punters Club Sprint (1000m)
Hot Whiskers faces a rise in class this week but does look up to something of this quality.
The Too Darn Hot filly took up the running on debut at Mornington on debut before producing a big turn of foot to win easily.
With natural improvement, she can keep alive her unbeaten record.
1 Unit Hot Whiskers
Race 3 - 1:20pm AEDT
Howdon Australian Guineas Day 1 March (1600m)
Centennial Park looks well placed for a hat-trick of wins at Flemington on Saturday.
Having only just been denied on debut at Donald in November, Centennial Park broke his maiden at Geelong before repeating the dose over 1600m on the Caulfield Heath last time out.
He’s a fit horse and a mile at HQ looks like it will suit him right down to the ground.
2 Units Centennial Park
Race 4 - 1:55pm AEDT
Black Caviar Lightning Race Day 15 February (1100m)
Samangu just keeps on winning and she looks the one to beat again in Race 4 at Flemington.
Samangu returned to action to break her maiden out at Ballarat in October and has subsequent won at Caulfield Heath and Pakenham.
She continues to improve just as the bar is raised and something like this is the next logical step for her.
2 Units Samangu
Race 5 - 2:30pm AEDT
VRC Summer Fun Sprint (1200m)
This is an open race with several winning chances engaged and I thought that Wolfy was one of those at nice odds ($8 at publish).
Wolfy hasn’t been seen at the races since early December and his form did taper off a little in late spring, but early on he found form around some quality horses in races not dissimilar to this one.
He’s been back to the trials, and we can have something on each way at the quote.
1 Unit E/W Wolfy
Race 6 - 3:05pm AEDT
VRC Super Saturday 8 March (1200m)
Veloce Carro resumes in a winnable race this week.
Veloce Carro hasn’t been seen at the races since August, but he turned in some fine performances last time in, particularly here at Flemington.
He’s a previous winner at this point of his preparation and he looks to have a class edge over a lot of these rivals.
3 Units Veloce Carro
Race 7 - 3:40pm AEDT
Be A Mate Nominate Trophy (1100m)
La Vie En is another galloper that can continue her rise through the grades at Flemington on Saturday.
La Vie En has only made two appearances at the races so far, but her returning effort out at the ‘Bool this time was impressive, and after taking up the running, she kicked clear to win by three lengths.
This is obviously a step up in class, but she’s open to plenty of improvement and looks up to it.
2 Units La Vie En
Race 8 - 4:15pm AEDT
Australian Cup Race Day 29 March (2000m)
European import Deakin dusted off the cobwebs with a fair performance to finish midfield on debut for Phillip Stokes last month before giving his rivals a galloping lesson over 2000m at Pakenham.
He stays at that trip this week and with further improvement, he can make it two in a row.
4 Units Deakin
Race 9 - 4:55pm AEDT
Flemington Racing Spectacular 1-29 March (1400m)
Red Phantom is second up and open to plenty of improvement.
The Nick Ryan-trained gelding turned in some decent performances without recording an elusive victory last time in, but after trialling well last month, he returned to action to fill the minors in BM70 company at The Valley.
I like that he has trialled here at Flemington ahead of this race, he gets into it well with only 54.5kgs and with luck from the barrier, he can fight out the finish.
1 Unit E/W Red Phantom
Race 10 - 5:35pm AEDT
Inside Run Handicap (1800m)
Dream All Day is a galloper in form and is the one for me in the last at Flemington this week.
Dream All Day has recorded two wins from three runs back this time, bouncing back from a near miss with an eye-catching victory here last time out.
She’s in peak form now and drawn a peach under Blake Shinn.
3 Units Dream All Day