2025 Grand Prix Stakes Day Preview

There’s a case to be made for a few of them in the first on Grand Prix Stakes Day including MANPOWER, who I’ve put on top.

After returning to action for consecutive victories at Dalby and the Gold Coast in Spring, Manpower has been freshened since finishing third in a race almost identical to this one in October.

He races well fresh and gets into this contest well under the conditions.

ÉCLAIR ENCORE has been racing in consistent form this time in and finds another winnable race at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Éclair Encore has missed placing in five runs back, winning in BM68 company at Newcastle when resuming, while she’s only just been denied in Sydney metro company at each of her last two starts.

In peak order, up to Brisbane and with some relief in the weights, this looks a perfect race.

NOW IS THE HOUR has opened a fitting favourite in the market ahead of Race 3 on Grand Prix Stakes Day.

Now Is The Hour has won two of four starts back this time, hitting the line impressively over this route two back before a near miss behind Ser Joh at Doomben.

In peak order and back onto the big Eagle Farm track, he’s drawn to receive a lovely run under leading jockey Ang Jones.

The talented NAILS MURPHY gets a great chance to win in metro company.

Nails Murphy is yet to strike in five runs back from a break, but he has continued to improve noticeably with each start and has filled the minors at each of his last two, including a half-length third behind an impressive Yet He Moves last time out.

In peak order and over the Eagle Farm mile, this looks his opportunity.

GREY ICE resumes in a nice race at Eagle Farm.

The Reliable Man mare hasn’t been seen at the races since April, but she returned to action last time for an eye-catching win in BM78 company at Caulfield, while she hit the line to finish on the placegetters’ heels at Flemington at her latest start.

She’s had the benefit of a couple of trials ahead of her return, and this does look to be a weaker task than those races we last saw her contesting.

There’s a case to be made for a few of them in the 2025 Grand Prix Stakes field and AGENT ZERO is one that I thought represented value in the market ($14 at publish).

Agent Zero stripped fitter for a fair fresh run in maiden company down at Kembla Grange in November, and after a near miss over 1400m at Canberra, he was an impressive winner out to the mile last time, greeting the judge more than three lengths ahead of his rivals.

This is another relatively steep rise in class, but he’s got upside and another rise in trip does look suitable.

The Ladbrokes Gold Edition Plate is almost always a key form race ahead of the Magic Millions Guineas and GRAFTERBURNERS as a pretty clear standout top pick this year, in my opinion.

Grafterburners returned to action for a dominant win over this route in November and he franked that performance by recording another win in the Winning Rupert Plate last time out.

At level weights and third-up from a break, this looks the next logical step for him to take.

ACCREDITED has been great without winning this time in and gets another chance in the time-honoured Lough Neagh Stakes.

He looked the winner on Big Dance Day first up from a spell before only just being pipped late, while Accredited kept his best work for late in The Hunter at Newcastle and was only denied by an impressive Coal Crusher.

Having last been seen finishing a credible fourth in the Festival Stakes at Rosehill, this looks to be a weaker race, and the horse is in peak order for his tilt.

WALSH BAY makes another appearance at the races on Saturday.

After returning to winning form at Doomben back in August, Walsh Bay hasn’t taken a backwards step, winning each of her last six starts impressively, including the Toowoomba Cup, the Queensland Cup and most recently, the Mooloolaba Cup.

Given that latest win was off a freshen up, I’m only expecting improvement this week and out to the 1800m.

BOSSED UP takes winning form into the last on Grand Prix Stakes Day.

Bossed Up hasn’t finished worse than second at his last four appearances, but his latest performance to strike in BM85 company at Doomben was amongst his best to date.

He’s in peak order now and looks more than capable of going on with it.