A huge day of Group 1 racing from headquarters at Flemington with the running of the Australian Guineas.
The BetDeluxe racing team has done all the form and is ready to find all the best bets ahead of a cracking nine-race card.
With a few showers predicted for Saturday, the track may slightly favour those horses drawn a few lanes off the fence.
flemington race 1
#6 crystalist
A race full of debutants up the straight is always a headache of an assignment.
Crystalist has shown nice ability at the jump outs having won her heat on February 18 over 800 metres at Flemington.
She resented being tightly held together by the reigns in that February 18 jump out and once she was allowed to stride under her own steam, she settled nicely on the bridle.
There was a chance she might have overdone it in the early to middle stages of the jump out win, but she kept up her gallop past the post and was holding her opposition at bay comfortably.
Expecting her to settle near the speed and be hard to run down at an each-way price.
Suggested Bet: Crystalist each-way at $7.5 the win and $2.60 the place.
Confidence Rating: 4/10
flemington race 2
#5 tigertiger
Tigertiger is a staying prospect who continues elevating to new levels as a racehorse.
The Bagot Handicap winner returns to Flemington after a nice last start run at this course when finishing seventh off a seven-week let up behind Crystal Pegasus.
He now gets a big weight swing over that horse and acquires the services of champion jockey Damien Oliver.
Will be fitter for the last start effort and can turn the tables on the favourite.
Suggested Bet: Tigertiger win at $4.60
Confidence Rating: 7/10
flemington race 3
#9 rose quartz
Rose Quartz handled the Flemington straight with aplomb last start.
The four-year-old mare was having her second ever start up the straight and made it two wins from starts after bolting in with a 3.25-length victory in BM-84 grade.
She has to step up in grade for this race, but her dynamic turn of foot means she has the ability to do so.
Suggested Bet: Rose Quartz win at $2.4
Confidence Rating: 8/10
flemington race 4
#8 excelida
Excelida is in sensational form at the moment and draws a barrier that can hopefully see her get the saloon passage through without using too much energy in the run.
She has the fitness edge over Sirileo Miss who is the favourite for the race.
Brett Prebble in the saddle gives us confidence and she ran a bottler behind Open Minded and Lighthouse last start of which that form stood up in the CF Orr Stakes.
Suggested Bet: Excelida each-way at $9 the win and $2.90 the place.
Confidence Rating: 8.5/10
flemington race 5
#1 overpass
Bjorn Baker sends down tough sprinter Overpass to Flemington after some cracking runs up in Sydney.
The three-year-old gelding has measure up at Group level this autumn having won the Expressway Stakes in front of Anamoe and running strongly behind smart galloper Lost and Running.
Doubt the Flemington straight will give him too much of an issue with his front-running style likely to take any luck out of the equation.
He has speed to burn and has a great fitness platform to run another big race.
Suggested Bet: Overpass win at $2.60
Confidence Rating: 9/10
flemington race 6
#1 Zaaki
Zaaki is a genuine weight-for-age star.
He has the speed, stamina and dynamic turn of foot required to win at the top level, so this Group 2 weight-for-age Blamey Stakes looks an ideal starting point for his preparation towards to the All-Star Mile and beyond.
The Annabel Neasham-trained gelding has a liking for Flemington after bolting in with the Mackinnon last spring.
He runs quick times and always put himself into races with good gate speed.
His two trials in Sydney have seen tick over nicely after being asked to settle into stride and then asked to extend with too much pressure.
Ranked as the best horse in the race and should be winning this on his way to bigger and better this campaign.
Suggested Bet: Zaaki win at $2.20
Confidence Rating: 9/10
Flemington race 7
#1 hitotsu
The return of VRC Derby winner Hitotsu sees him lead the market in the Australian Guineas.
He is an absolute star in the making if he is not already and looks to have returned in fine fettle after a nice bit of trackwork during his Cranbourne jump out of 990 metres.
What makes him so hard to beat is his ability to settle on the speed and sustain his runs for a long period of time.
He has the sharpness and stamina in his big loping stride to win this race upon resuming.
It would be a shock to see him run outside of the top three, but we think he is the winner.
Suggested Bet: Hitotsu win at $4.80
Confidence Rating: 7/10
flemington race 8
#2 brooklyn hustle
When she is right, Brookyln Hustle has a jaw-droppingly brilliant turn of speed that makes her menace in any Group race.
The problem for her is manners and speed map.
However, this is the easiest race she has faced in quite some time and let us not forget how heavily backed she was to win the Moir Stakes when resuming from a spell last preparation.
She is the same price as she was in that Group 1 as she is in this Listed Event and she is drawn to get a lovely smothering run in behind the speed.
Happy to have a nibble each-way because her best would win this.
Suggested Bet: Brooklyn Hustle each-way at $6.5 the win and $2.45 the place.
flemington race 9
#12 savannah cloud
Savannah Cloud finds a suitable race after finishing third behind Nicolini Vito last start.
He led them a merry dance at Caulfield over the mile in BM-78 grade, but just felt the pinch late in the race.
He gets a weight swing on Nicolini Vito and he did start favourite in that race as well.
Drawn out wide, but he will press forward with Zac Spain in the saddle and hopefully have his momentum up before Yonce gets her run.
Suggested Bet: Savannah Cloud each-way at $7.5 the win and $2.50 the place.
Confidence Rating: 6.5/10
