Happy New Year!
We start 2022 with a bang with the running of the traditional New Year meeting from headquarters at Flemington.
The Bagot Handicap over 2800 metres is the feature of the day, but our team has its eyes on a juvenile galloper in race one that could very well steal the headlines.
flemington race 1
#5 lambda
The Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes stable looks as though it has it hands on another lovely juvenile as it prepares Lambda for debut up straight at Flemington.
She looks blessed with brilliant early toe and speed after pinging the barriers in her only jump out at Flemington over 800 metres.
The two-year-old filly by champion sire Snitzel was never headed or bothered in her jump out victory on December 23 and she could very well have smashed her opposition if the jockey asked for an effort.
She travelled beautifully on the bridle without being asked for an effort and carried her head around the track perfectly in sync along with her stride.
Looks to have great straight-line speed, which is clearly a huge asset up straight.
Suggested Bet: Lambda win at $4
Flemington race 3
#15 Unanimous
Unanimous is the play in this race after two fitness-building runs to get him ready for this crack at the Flemington.
His issue at the last few starts has been his slow beginnings, which have cost him lengths and a competitive position in running.
Putting some faith in the brilliant Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace stable to get this four-year-old gelding to jump a lot cleaner than he has been doing.
Gets a big weight swing on Comanche Brave who beat him home last start and there is clear confidence from John Allen that this horse is going very well given he has opted to keep the ride.
Suggested Bet: Unanimous win at $4.6
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 8, 12, 15
flemington race 7
#6 high emocean
Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace have a deadset stranglehold on the 2022 edition of the Bagot Handicap.
We are going to side with the stablemate of the favourite in High Emocean who seems, on paper, to get a better set up.
Smokin’ Romans is flying, but he has to deal with a gap between runs, an inside barrier and carrying 60kgs.
High Emocean races with two weeks between runs, so has the race fitness on his side, and he did start the shortest price in the main lead-up race won by Skelm who had a fitness advantage over our pick.
Now that High Emocean has had that big conditioning run over 2600 metres, she makes the rise to 2800 metres at the right time, gets gun jockey Jye Mcneil and a perfect barrier.
Going to have an each-way thump at High Emocean as she holds off her fast-finishing stablemate.
Suggested Bet: High Emocean each-way at $5 the win and $1.75 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Exacta 6 & 2
flemington race 8
#12 Not To Be Mist
Not To Be Mist has always possessed a good level of talent from what we saw over in Western Australia and we finally got to see his best last start.
The six-year-old gelding put it all together when defeating Itsourtime over 1200 metres at Flemington a fortnight ago in a sign that trainer Nick Ryan has finally got him right.
Rising to 1400 metres is going to be perfect for this horse who has a very strong profile and record over the distance.
There is definitely a lot of speed engaged in this race with Lighthouse, Age of Chivalry, Crosshaven, Second Slip and Yulong January all likely to put ramp up the early pressure.
It should allow Damien Thorton to drop into a lovely trailing run and with only 54kgs, he should be able to fill a place at the very worst.
Suggested Bet: Not To Be Mist each-way at $6.5 the win and $2.25 the place.
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 9 & 12