Moonee Valley hosts its feature Weight-for-Age sprint of the spring carnival with running of the Manikato Stakes on Friday night.
The Punter’s Prince has sliced his way through the runner-by-runner guide to find the winner of the 1200-metre Group 1 dash.
#1 Streets of Avalon
Shane Nichols
Does not have the sharpness or dash to win a race like this.
Letting him through to the keeper.
Odds: $26 the win and $6
Finishing position: Twelfth
#2 Jonker
Tony Gollan
Will be pushing towards the front and looking to lead this field from start to finish.
Finished three lengths off Masked Crusader last start who almost defeated Nature Strip in The Everest.
Form looks solid enough but probably just misses out on the top three.
Odds: $9 the win and $2.90 the place.
Finishing position: Fourth
#3 Despatch
Tony & Calvin Mcevoy
He is a $126 for a reason.
Outclassed and little to zero hope.
Odds: $126 the win and $26 the place
Finishing position: Last
#4 Savatoxl
Tony & Calvin Mcevoy
Ready to strike a second career Group 1 victory after a sensational return in the Schilacci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
He showed great tenacity and a will to chase the line after doing all the donkey work when running down tearaway leader Dosh and nabbing the filly right on the line.
Tony and Calvin McEvoy will have no doubt left a stack of fitness in the locker for this horse heading towards what is clearly the race he has been set for.
Barrier eight means he will have to press forward and either sit outside the lead or potentially get a trailing run one back off the fence.
Odds: $4.4 the win and $1.85 the place.
Finishing position: First
#5 Express Pass
Nick Ryan
Barrier 11 will likely see him snicked back to last which probably ends his chances right there.
This is the toughest race he has ever contested and comes up the right price.
Odds: $26 the win and $6 the place.
Finishing position: Eleventh
#6 Lombardo
Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr
Lombardo has turned into a different sort since the application of blinkers.
Three dominant wins on the bounce sees him well in the market for this Group 1 race.
He takes a steep rise in class and races for the first time at this level.
His winning margins to the eye look great, but doubt they are good enough to be a Group 1-winning horse at this stage of his career.
Odds: $5.5 the win and $2.15 the place.
Finishing position: Eighth
#7 Away game
Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace
Was terrible when something clearly went amiss as a $5 elect in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington last start.
This looks a real stab in the dark and will need to improve out of sight to even be a place chance.
Others are going much better than her.
Odds: $31 the win and $6.5 the place
Finishing position: Tenth
#8 bella nipotina
ciaron maher & dave eustace
Started favourite in her lead-up when being narrowly defeated by Savatoxl.
She had the fitness advantage over Savatoxl that day and will not have tha competitive advantage in this race.
Market has to be respected out of the Schillaci Stakes and she comes up good odds for a horse who has a nice turn of foot.
Odds: $10 the win and $3.3 the place
Finishing position: Second
#9 swats that
leon & troy corstens
Wide barrier has ruined her hopes.
She has never won or placed in a race at Group 1 open company level.
Damien Oliver will have to weave some magic to get this mare finishing in the top half of the field.
Odds: $18 the win and $4.8 the place.
Finishing position: Ninth
#10 la mexicana
anthony & sam freedman
The forecast rain is going to be ideal for this mare.
She is a gun wet tracker who will thrive on a soft or heavy track.
Barrier 10 might makes thing a bit awkward, but she is worth an each-way bet at the big price.
Odds: $20 the win and $5 the place
Finishing position: Third
#11 Ingratiating
james cummings
The blinkers went on in the Danehill Stakes and he went abysmally.
The stewards report mentioned that he showed no abnormalities.
James Cummings would not have backed him up if he was not going well at the stables.
He will probably get the run of the race from barrier seven, which gives him a chance, but is unlikely mount a winning challenge.
Odds: $5 the win and $2 the place
Finishing position: Sixth
#12 Sneaky five
ciaron maher & dave eustace
Surprised the market and her stable when scooting home up the middle of the Caulfield home straight to win the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes.
She did not run an amazing time, but she will come on from the run after missing a heap of racing prior to that effort.
The filly also boasts a very impressive debut at Moonee Valley which proves she can handle the tight-turning track.
Top five chance if she finds an extra two to three lengths as we expect her to do with race fitness now on her side.
Odds: $8 the win and $2.60 the place
Finishing position: Fifth
#13 crystal bound
ciaron maher & dave eustace
Was beaten by her less-fancied stablemate Sneaky Five despite having the fitness advantage and enjoying a run much closer to the lead.
Had every chance to win at Caulfield, but failed to hold out the swooping runners.
Group 1 Weight-for-Age is probably a little too soon for her at the moment and there look to be much stronger and faster horses than her here.
Odds: $12 the win and $3.60 the place
Finishing position: Seventh
