We’ve got stacked cards in Sydney and Melbourne this weekend as we get deeper into the autumn carnival and Ladbrokes have you covered with our best Saturday roughies to back at juicy odds!
We unearthed a few excellent top four contenders last week including the Frances Tressady Stakes winner Paradise City at $9.50 and the Group 1 Black Caviar runner-up My Gladiola at an underrated price – can we keep that success going for Blue Diamond Day?
Caulfield features no less than three Group 1 races including the 2YO’s feature, while up in Sydney Silver Slipper Day is host to its own elite line-up of important events including a key Golden Slipper preparatory showdown for the young guns.
Lucy Henderson – Ladbrokes Value Whisperer – has looked past the shorties in the markets and found her weekend best bets to add to your exotics below!
Looking for more? Check out our new series – Hendo’s Hoodoos – unpacking the best Saturday omen bets as we welcome in the Lunar New Year of the Fire Horse!
Caulfield Race 4 – Group 2 $300,000 Autumn Classic (1800m)
No. 2 Deal Done Fast
DEAL DONE FAST (9) enters the Autumn Classic a maiden after four starts and, while breaking his maiden status here is a tough ask, I do think he lines-up as a genuine Top 3 hope at a good price.
The Matt Cumani-trained Dundeel colt caught the eye in the spring when fourth under a length off Autumn Mystery in October’s Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) before running out of his skin for a third behind Observer in the VRC Derby at 30/1.
He was only 1.5 lengths off the winner in that 2500m classic at HQ, the form of which was franked with Observer returning a first-up winner in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes here on February 7.
That bodes well for this underrated chance on the weekend to produce a similarly nice run fresh and I think the 1800m first-up is ideal.
Drawn a little wide but Daniel Stackhouse got the best out of him last prep and will know where to place him in the run.
Trialled well at Geelong last month, and while he’s sure to improve on whatever he does on the weekend lacking a bit of fitness, I think he’ll be making up late ground and can feature.
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2. Deal Done Fast (8)
J: Daniel Stackhouse 57kg
2443xT: Matt Cumani
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Caulfield Race 5 – Group 2 $300,000 Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m)
No. 3 Spicy Lu
SPICY LU (5) faces a quality field in her return on Saturday and, while the heavily backed Sheza Alibi at an odds-on quote is the one to beat, this Nick Olive-trained filly ticks plenty of boxes to run in the money behind her.
A daughter of the 2022 Blue Diamond winer Tagaloa, she’s bred for success and is already putting together a good record having won four of her nine starts to date.
One of those wins was at the Caulfield track on Cup Day last October when beating Just A Journey home in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) by three-quarters of a length.
Her last start saw her stretched distance-wise when seventh in the VRC Oaks, but she’ll be better back in trip with 1400m first-up not looking too sharp for her.
Drawn gate five and has a very good hoop in Craig Williams taking over the reins in another plus.
Gets ground conditions to suit, could need to run but brings in from around the likes of Apocalyptic so I’m not writing her off yet.
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3. Spicy Lu (5)
J: Craig Williams 58.5kg
4817xT: Nick Olive
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Caulfield Race 7 – Group 1 $750,000 Futurity Stakes (1400m)
No. 4 Veight
It’s a stellar edition of the Futurity to kick off Group 1 racing at Caulfield on Saturday and I’m really keen on the $2 favourite Treasurethe Moment to win, but at blowout odds VEIGHT (8) really appeals to me for a Top 3 play.
Tony & Calvin McEvoy’s consistent Grunt gelding has been completely left alone by the punters and is out to 40/1 at time of publish, which I can somewhat understand based on the depth of the field but still looks well overs.
He’s got a decent Caulfield strike-rate (5:1-1-1) and has come back in good order boasting the fitness edge over a few of these after back-to-back Melbourne placings this prep.
Fresh he was runner-up when two lengths off Hedged who set a Pakenham track record in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m).
At his latest he was third behind Tom Kitten and Feroce in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan here at the same track and distance, well beaten by nearly four lengths, but not disgraced.
Unsure how that form will stack up, but considering the Kevin Heffernan runner-up is at $11 for Saturday’s Group 1, surely the price on Veight is generous?
Looks set to peak third-up with Luke Currie, who knows the horse well, retaining the ride.
Lots of winning hopes but think this guy will settle midfield and has claims for a run in the money the closing stages.
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4. Veight (7)
J: Luke Currie 59kg
x0x23T: Tony & Calvin Mcevoy
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Caulfield Race 8 – Group 1 $2 million Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m)
No. 15 I Am Aria
Typically wide Blue Diamond market thrown even further open by the shock scratching of long-time favourite Big Sky.
An exciting and overlooked prospect with claims in the exotics for mine is the filly I AM ARIA (5) at 20/1 at time of publish to break her maiden status.
She lines up for the third time and is yet to run out of the money.
Mark Walker’s progressive daughter of I Am Invincible showed up well on debut at a big odds to run under a length second to Rubi’s Choice in the fillies’ Preview race before her third in the Prelude.
She was only one length off the winner Streisand in the key lead-up in what was an arguably better run than the Preview despite the lower placing.
Right up on speed for much of her Prelude performance she stuck on with the task well and natural improvement makes her a chance to surprise a few again with Craig Williams sticking with.
Expecting to be up front and with more fitness now can hang on again.
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15. I Am Aria (4)
J: Craig Williams 55kg
23T: Mark Walker
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Rosehill Race 8 – Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m)
No. 2 Attica
The Randwick Guineas hopes step out in the Hobartville in Sydney and ATTICA (9) is a terrific value play fresh for Joe Pride.
The talented Lonhro colt had a terrific first prep winning three of his four starts including a tight but still eye-catching Group 1 success over Shangri La Boy in Randwick’s Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).
Saturday is his first Rosehill assignment, but he’s been brought on fitness-wise with a trio of lead-up trials improving each time out.
Won over 1400m on debut at Warwick Farm last September so I don’t see the distance being too short for him fresh again.
His Spring Champion winning jockey Adam Hyeronimus continues associations, and his strike-rate for the Pride stable is imposing.
Blinkers come on and, while he’s sure to improve deeper into his campaign, I think he’s got the ability to run in the money to kick things off.
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2. Attica (7)
J: Adam Hyeronimus 56.5kg
1211xT: Joseph Pride
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Caulfield Race 9 – Group 1 $750,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m)
No. 5 Oak Hill
OAK HILL (11) goes around at a massive price in the Oakleigh, and I’m convinced he’s a genuine each way play after a confidence boosting lead‑up win.
The Team Hayes‑trained Per Incanto gelding dug in when it mattered in the G2 Rubiton Stakes, holding off Don’t Hope Do by a quarter‑length second‑up, and he arrives here rock hard fit.
Caulfield has been a happy hunting ground for him (6:2‑2‑0) and the 1100m is right in his sweet spot.
He stays on 57kg with Beau Mertens taking over, and even with the rider change he’s more than capable of landing in the finish.
He’ll be strong late and looks the type to run a big race at odds.
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5. Oak Hill (11)
J: Beau Mertens 57kg
02×21T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes
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Rosehill Race 9 – Group 2 $300,000 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m)
No. 4 Pinito
I think Lazzura will win the Millie Fox but I’m very wary of the resuming PINITO (1) who looks a genuine threat fresh at a great price.
Stablemate to the favourite, this Waller-trained Trapeze Artist mare has been the picture of consistency running top three in all her 11 starts so far.
Her Gold Coast win in the mud last May taking out the Bracelet (1800m) by over three lengths was huge and she was unlucky not to claim the Group 1 Queensland Oaks going down a nostril flare to You Wahng.
The 1300m is definitely short of her preferred distance but after so long off I don’t mind it.
Latest trial here at Rosehill behind Raging Force was a little flat but she’s one that usually shows up better on race day.
Rails draw and the booking of the airborne Tommy Berry further add to her claims.
She’ll be at the back but surging late and place in the trifecta wouldn’t surprise.
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4. Pinito (1)
J: Tommy Berry 55kg
3212xT: Chris Waller
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Good luck punters!