2026 Aurie’s Star Handicap Day Preview

NEARCO FROD chases a hat-trick on Aurie’s Star Handicap Day.

The Hunter’s Light gelding wasn’t far away at either of his first two runs back this time, but after recording a dominant victory third-up when out to the mile and a half at Sandown earlier this month, he repeated the dose at the same track and trip most recently.

In peak order, this looks a perfect opportunity for him to transition into Saturday metro company, while another rise in trip also looks to suit.

HEARTS AFFAIR takes winning form and improvement into this contest.

Hearts Affair finished down the order over 1100m at Warwick Farm on debut in February and was immediately tipped out, and that decision paid immediate dividends when she returned to action for a decisive victory at Kembla Grange a couple of weeks ago.

This is a noticeable rise in class, but she’s clearly furnished into a stronger horse this time in, she’s got plenty of upside and so long as she handles the straight, I think she’ll be in the finish again.

STAR OF INDIA has turned in several performances recently that have suggested another race win is imminent.

While he is yet to strike this time in, the Galileo gelding was only just denied over this route by Ghetto Supastar last month, and after a rare flat performance at Caulfield two back, he was again very good into the minors back here at Flemington last time out.

Clearly, he loves the conditions here, he has drawn to receive the run of the race from barrier 4 and this looks his chance to get up in Saturday metro company.

This is undoubtedly one of the more open races on Aurie’s Star Handicap Day and with a case to be made for many of them, I’m eager to have an each way play on RESET THE JAZZ.

It has been a short while since Reset The Jazz won a race, but he was caught in the worst part of the track over 1400m at Sandown when resuming and was simply never a factor.

He’s a horse that tends to enjoy sharp improvement at this point of his preparation (5:2-1-0), while he should enjoy a far better time of things this week from a low draw, and with some relief in the weights under Jackson Radley.

Another one that I am happy to give another chance second up on Aurie’s Star Day is STEALTH OF NIGHT in Race 5.

Stealth Of Night was a strong and consistent performer during her first two racing preparations, winning four of eight starts, placing on every other occasion and finding form around some classy individuals.

Her first up run this time was one of a horse that clearly required a hit-out, and with natural improvement, relief in the weights and launching from the good barrier, I’m confident she can keep alive an unbeaten second up record.

Blake Shinn returns to the saddle after a lengthy injury spell and TOUCHDOWN rates as a key winning chance for the veteran hoop.

Touchdown himself returned from a break to finished second behind an impressive Kahhof at Sandown a couple of weeks ago, and he’s open to plenty of improvement for that hit-out.

The horse has finished worse than second just once in eight trips to the races since debuting and gets plenty of ticks this week, dropping in the weights and racing on top of the ground.

The first Group 1 features of the season are just around the corner, and a small but classy field will assemble for the Aurie’s Star Handicap; a race that so often represents as an ideal launchpad into top-line events.

Group 1 winner WAR MACHINE returns to action and if he brings his best form, he’ll be hard to beat.

It’s fair to say that he didn’t come up during the autumn this year, and after being well beaten by the likes of Hedged and Veight in the Group 2 Australia Stakes, his campaign was abandoned after he finished down the order in a Newmarket.

Having trialled up well, he’s a Group 2 winner at this track and distance, Blake Shinn rides and has options in the run from barrier 1.

SASS APPEAL was also included in Aurie’s Star Handicap nominations, but trainer Danny O’Brien has elected to launch the horse’s preparation in this softer race.

The So You Think filly hasn’t been seen at the races since March, but she enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence during her debut prep, winning four of five starts and finishing the runner up on the other occasion.

Having trialled up a treat, anything close to her best would be good enough to see her account for this field.

JUST LIKE GABY resumes in a winnable race at Flemington this week.

While we haven’t seen her at the races this year, Just Like Gaby tends to fly fresh, winning once and only just denied in another of her three first up targets so far.

Down in the weights and off the back of a nice Cranbourne trial, she can use this as a springboard into something stronger.