2026 Melbourne Cup ballot-free exemption goes on the line at Flemington this weekend on Andrew Ramsden Day in Melbourne.
The Andrew Ramsden field is dripping with staying talent and shapes as an excellent betting race to boot, but there are nine winners to be found in total.
Read on for my Flemington best bets, including my 2026 Andrew Ramsden tips!
RESONANT is second up and open to improvement at HQ.
The Lindsay Park-trained galloper showed some ability at the trials prior to debuting and weekend home to finish a half-length second in the VOBIS Gold Rush at Bendigo earlier this month.
On exposed form, I think he’s a standout top selection.
| 1. Resonant (8) 59kg2 |
BRAVE DANZA gets back into another nice race at HQ on Saturday.
Having returned to action to fill the minors over 1800m at Sandown, Brave Danza was tossed in the deep end of a Group 2 Tulloch Stakes on Golden Slipper Day, and it ultimately proved to be a bridge too far at this point of his career,
Having returned to Caulfield Heath with a month between runs, he was only just denied over 1800m, and getting back out to 2000m now looks to suit.
| 4. Brave Danza (9) 54kg2×302 |
MADIYYA is second up and open to improvement on Andrew Ramsden Day.
Madiyya has won three of eight starts since debuting, placing a further two times and finding form around some good horses in races not dissimilar to this one.
Having settled off the pace here when resuming three weeks ago, she produced a smart turn of speed to run on and finishing fourth, and she’s a horse that tends to enjoy good improvement with a run under her belt
| 4. Madiyya (3) 59kg534×4 |
CONCORD CONNIE has opened a justifiable $1.30 favourite ahead of this contest.
Having attracted some big bets ahead of her latest appearance here three weeks ago, the Contributer filly produced one of the standout performances of the season to win by six lengths.
That was her second victory from just three starts, having only just missed on debut at Ballarat back in November.
Fitter third-up, I think she’ll be winning again, so I am going to select her as my winner in a Same Race Multi and pump up my odds with SULEK and VIRTUAL ILLUSION each running into the first four.
Same Race Multi selections:
- 7 Concord Connie (Win)
- 5 Sulek (Top 4)
- 6 Virtual Illusion (Top 4)
| 7. Concord Connie (7) 55.5kg2×11 | ||
| 6. Virtual Illusion (2) 56.5kg8×447 | ||
| 5. Sulek (1) 56.5kg57×43 |
PURPLE STREAK takes winning form into an open race at Flemington on Saturday.
The Zousain gelding has won two of three starts since debuting, bouncing back from a miss in a lucrative VOBIS race with a dominant effort over 1200m at Pakenham.
He has drawn awkwardly and will need to take his medicine, but if he does get luck in the run, he’s certainly up to winning something of this quality on what he has done so far.
| 7. Purple Streak (14) 56kg171 |
We were with OH TOO GOOD when she was only just denied last time out, and she looks perfectly placed to go one better back at Flemington.
While yet to strike in three runs back this year, the All Too Hard mare has undoubtedly been improving and hit the line to only just miss in the Gold Bracelet at Bendigo a fortnight ago.
She drops in the weights this week and has drawn to receive a lovely run, while getting out to the mile on the big Flemington track looks ideal at this point of her preparation.
| 3. Oh Too Good (6) 57.5kg0x402 |
2026 Melbourne Cup ballot-free exemption goes on the line in the Andrew Ramsden and THE WESTERN FRONT is the one for me.
The Western Front really has found a purple patch of form in recent months, winning thiree of his last four starts, and the only miss being a credible enough performance over 1900m at the opposite way of going in Sydney.
He’s hard fit, he was outstanding here at Flemington when mustering an eye-catching turn of foot to win comfortably three weeks ago and I’m eager to see him out to the 2800m for the first time.
There is plenty of talent engaged in the Andrew Ramsden field but at around the $8 mark, I think that this bloke represents genuine each way value.
| 9. The Western Front (13) 58.5kg41411 |
STOLI BOLLI is racing with some confidence this time in and gets a nice opportunity at some black type in the Straight Six.
Stoli Bolli has recorded two wins from three runs back this time, striking down the straight here when resuming, while he blew them away in BM84 grade on Golden Mile Day last time out.
Down in the weights and back to proven conditions, I think he can be right in the finish again.
| 12. Stoli Bolli (7) 54.5kg4×141 |
SKIPPERS CANYON is third up and primed to strike in the last on Andrew Ramsden Day.
While yet to strike in his two appearances since resuming, Skippers Canyon certainly hasn’t been disgraced, and he finished within two lengths of the winner over 1400m at Caulfield first up before an eye-catching effort to fill the minors over this route last time.
He’ll enjoy a decent drop in the weights this week and gets the services of Craig Williams.
| 7. Skippers Canyon (8) 56.5kg47×43 |