It’s Group 1 racing from Flemington and Randwick today.
The Australian Guineas and Chipping Norton Stakes highlight a sensational day of thoroughbred action across the country.
The Wizard of Odds has sliced his way through the cards and come up with the best bets around Australia and it all starts at Flemington.
Flemington Race 3 - THE SHAFTESBURY AVENUE
#6 Sierra Sue
It all went wrong for Sierra Sue, first-up from a spell, when she ninth of eleven in the Bellmaine Stakes at Caulfield.
She never got on the track and when her regular jockey Michael Walker asked her for an effort there was nothing in the tank and she pulled up sore in what was a completely forgivable run.
Her trial prior to that run was super and suggested she had come back a better horse after her booming win in the Group 2 Kingston Stakes and then a wet-track failure in the $7.5 million Golden Eagle.
She’s drawn a nice enough barrier here where she can settle midfield with some cover and hopefully be good enough to show off the booming finishing sprint she possesses.
Happy to back her each-way here.
Suggested Bet: Sierra Sue each way at $8 the win and $2.5 the place
flemington race 5 - ATA BOB HOYSTEAD
#10 muntaseera
She’s quick, she’s’ fresh, she’s sharp and she’s fast.
Muntaseera looks absolutely primed for a first-up assault on the back of some lovely jump outs which suggest she has taken a big stride forward as a race horse.
She was a winner first-up last preparation when running down handy Godolphin sprinter Valaquenta and then she went on to run second to Group 1-performed three-year-old filly Swats That.
The Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace camp then opted to have a throw at the stumps in the Group 1 Coolmore Stakes up the straight on Derby day where she ran a respectable fifth.
She seems to have drawn the right part of the straight too and should be very hard to hold out as Jye McNeil takes the ride.
Suggested Bet: Muntaseera each way at $5 the win and $1.95 the place
flemington race 6 - Darley blamey Stakes
#11 buffalo River
This Mike Moroney-trained five-year-old gelding did an awesome job first-up only to be nosed out by the in form Regardsmaree.
Buffalo River was forced to sit outside the lead and cut the breeze the entire way before giving a big kick into the Flemington straight and was run down by Regardsmaree right on the line.
He now gets some weight relief and Jamie Kah stays on board. The pair should be able to roll the front with only 54kgs and dictate the race.
Looks the perfect race for him to get back into winning ways.
Suggested Bet: Buffalo River win at $2.7
FLEMINGTON RACE 7 - AUSTRALIA GUINEAS
#3 AYSAR
He might be transforming into a bit of a pest for punters but Aysar is set to peak in what is his grand final race.
The plan all along this preparation has been to get him to the Australian Guineas at Flemington and now he’s here.
His second-up run in the Colin Hayes Stakes (1400m) last start was full of merit.
He had to cope with a big increase of early speed from his first- up run which was basically a sit sprint home at Caulfield. He failed to reel in eventual winner Tagaloa after enjoying a beautiful run on his back, but that high-pressure 1400m race will have brought him on beautifully for this.
From barrier two, Damian Lane can settle him just off the leaders backs as he did last start, peel out three wide and let down with his run.
Cannot see him missing a place if he doesn’t win.
Suggested Bet: Aysar each way at $7.5 the win and $2.6 the place
flemington race 8 - inglis dash
#2 the bopper
Kris Lees sends his talented three-year-old gelding The Bopper down to Melbourne for a sprinting assignment up the straight.
He copped a wet track at Randwick last start and started $8.5 in a handy three-year-old race won by the favourite for this race, Rocketing By.
Lees has now opted to apply two of the biggest gear changes in racing; blinkers on, Jamie Kah on.
Those two factors are sure to put him in the finish here and he’s drawn the perfect barrier where he can be out of trouble on the outside of horses and in what should be the better part of the straight.
Suggested Bet: Back The Bopper to win at $5
RANDWICK RACE 6 - CHIPPING NORTON STAKES
#6 VERRY ELLEEGANT
The Caulfield Cup winner of 2020 was fantastic upon her resumption to racing last start when running third behind Colette in the Apollo Stakes (1400m).
She was bailed away inside of runners off a crawl in the early parts of the race and then was asked to explode when the field took mid-race and sprinted hard.
The eventual winner, Colette, was much more suited to the way the race panned out that day and is the clear danger again but Verry Elleegant would have derived a great amount of fitness from that run.
With that run under her belt, the rise up to 1600m and drawing perfectly in barrier four, it should be enough for her to turn the tables on Colette here.
Suggested Bet: Very Elleegant win at $2.6
randwick race 7 - cellarbrations surround stakes
#9 la mexicana
Anthony and Sam Freedman send their three-year-old filly La Mexicana up to Randwick in an attempt to earn six wins from eight career starts with this girl.
She rarely runs a bad race and has fought on bravely to win by narrow margins in her last two starts at Caulfield.
She seems to thrive much more when she has the cut out of the ground and she will get that situation here with some small showers predicted to fall in Sydney on Saturday.
Group 1 winning jockey Tom Marquand takes the ride here and his positive riding style will suit this filly perfectly.
Looks a fantastic each-way bet.
Suggested Bet: La Mexicana each-way at $6.5 the win and $2.4 the place
