Flemington hosts Melbourne’s major metropolitan meeting this week and nine races make up the program.
The rail will be set out a whopping 11 metres around the entire course while at publish, we’re faced with a track rated in the Soft (7) range.
Check out my Flemington best bets and full VRC Country Raceday Preview below.
SATONO’S SHOUT has improved for two runs since debuting and gets a great chance to win at Flemington on Saturday.
The son of Satono Aladdin finished on the placegetters’ heels over 1200m on debut at the ‘Bool last month and took improvement into a close-up third at Sandown last time out.
Fitter third-up, he should get his chance on the big Flemington track this week.
| 9. Satono’s Shout (3) 57kg43 |
DECALOGUE chases a hat-trick this week at Flemington.
The Extreme Choice gelding has been a consistent performer since resuming but has also steadily improved with each run; ultimately breaking his maiden with a dominant performance up at Newcastle two runs back.
Having franked that effort when he went on with it in BM72 company at Randwick last time out, he’s clearly in peak order and sticks to the 2000m, and he’s another one that I think will be perfectly suited to racing at HQ.
| 1. Decalogue (7) 59kg24211 |
THE WESTERN FRONT rates as a key winning chance again at Flemington this week.
His recent form has been nothing short of outstanding and included three wins from his last four starts, with the only miss coming in the Listed Andrew Ramsden two back.
Given that he immediately bouncing back in the Sandown Cup last time out, he’s in peak condition, I don’t think the drop in trip will be anything of an issue given it also looks to be a noticeably weaker contest.
| 5. The Western Front (13) 57.5kg41161 |
CHOIR POINT is the one for me in Race 4.
The Blue Point filly has recorded two wins from as many starts this time in, bouncing back from a near miss with an eye-catching performance at Caulfield three weeks away, hitting the line ahead of the well fancied High On The Hill.
She relishes a rain-affected track and in peak order, she need only handle the straight to be fighting out the finish once more.
| 4. Choir Point (6) 56kg6×131 |
TEN COMMANDMENT takes winning form and improvement into this contest.
Having gone for a break after winning in BM66 company out in the country in November, the Palentino gelding returned to action for a dominant victory in a BM70 sprint at Sandown, greeting the judge nearly five lengths in the clear.
With natural improvement and getting out in trip, I can’t find a reason why he won’t be in the finish again.
| 8. Ten Commandments (5) 57kg741×1 |
We were with FIRST CHORUS when she saluted last time out, and I am keen to stick with her this week.
The Ghibellines mare has finished worse than second only once in four runs back this time, bouncing back from a rare flat performance with a dominant effort to justify an odds-on quote last time out.
She carried topweight that day and drops a few kgs into handicap conditions, and with appropriate luck in the run, she can certainly go on with it.
| 8. First Chorus (7) 55.5kgx1291 |
This is undoubtedly the strongest race on the program and there’s a case to be made for a few of them, including NEW YORK LUSTRE.
New York Lustre recorded some deserved black type when saluting in the Group 3 Begonia Belle at the end of her spring prep last year, while she returned to action to fill the minors behind Grand Larceny in the Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes down at Morphettville.
Having last been seen finishing fourth, beaten just over half a length in the Group 1 Goodwood, she’s been kept up to the mark with a recent trial, this is a substantial drop in class, and a repeat of that performance would see her extremely difficult to beat.
| 2. New York Lustre (9) 58kg31×34 |
Another strong race with a host of key chances engaged, but I thought that PUNCH LANE found his right race, and at nice odds ($7.50 at publish).
It has been a little over a year since he last tasted success in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup, but Punch Lane has undoubtedly improved with each of three runs back this time, and I thought there was plenty to like about his most recent effort for third, beaten just over a length over 1400m at Sandown.
He gets back out to his pet trip this week, he’s a horse that will relish the sting out of the track, and we can have something on each way at the price.
| 4. Punch Lane (4) 59.5kg0x603 |
PADDYPIE puts an unbeaten record on the line in the last at Flemington.
While he has only made two appearances at the races since debuting, Paddypie couldn’t have done more than what he has produced, breaking his maiden before winning again in BM62 company.
This is another decent rise in class, but he has upside and is a winner over a mile previously as well.
| 8. Paddypie (1) 54.5kg11 |