Almanac Horseracing – Diamond Day

Last Saturday’s meetings promised to step up a notch and they delivered in spades. Great winners, high drama, big talking points.

The bar’s raised again for terrific G1 racing at Caulfield and Randwick this weekend.

It’s nowadays billed as Diamond Day so I guess we’ll start with Victoria’s premiere juvenile scamper (MR7, 1200m, 2yo, SW, G1). Consensus is that it is a quality field and much conjecture has surrounded Olly’s choice of the Price pair – he opted for the “get back” 2nd fav, Flying Artie, ahead of the speedier stablemate, Extreme Choice. The barrier draw favoured neither, bringing other fancied chances such as Concealer and Samara Dancer right in to the frame. Fascinating edition.

The Heath also hosts two other traditional G1s for all-comers, the Futurity Stakes (MR6, 1400m, WFA) and the Oakleigh Plate (MR8, 1100m, Hcp).

Some feature 1400m fields have been skinny in recent times but the 2016 listing (MR6) poses plenty of questions. Off a genuine pace I’m expecting Boban to step up at good odds. You can make a case for nearly all of them but certainly Hucklebuck deserves to also be under consideration.

The Handicap dash (MR8) is always a bit of a raffle and a spirited betting forum. They’ll fair dinkum fly here so I’ll tip two that hopefully tuck in straight behind the heat, Fell Swoop and Keen Array.

A Warwick Farm flavour pervades the harbour town meeting with the G1 being the time-honoured (for those out west) Chipping Norton (SR7, 1600m, WFA). Quite rightly, Winx will start a deep red but there’s plenty to watch amongst those competing for second, primarily the returns of Caulfield cup star Mongolian Khan and also last Autumn’s boom, Hartnell, which disappointed down here in Spring (O’Shea!?).

Both states have a stack of “supporting” Group races as plenty of bright prospects plot their paths to upcoming riches.

I intend to do likewise!

Good luck.

Comments

  1. Here’s what Cowshedend wrote on the site 12 months ago. Hope he got on early for the Oakleigh Plate.

    Crio love the omen bet …spooky!, more Doris Stokes than Phillip Stokes though.
    For what i am about to say, may god have mercy on my soul; Having had a number of horses with Ellerton, i know him to be the most negative non-spruiker in the game, he said “Heatherly could be the best horse i’ve ever trained” in Ellerton speak he reckons it’s a freak.
    I’m already on it in the Diamond.
    Warning; Any moron tipping 2yo’s, should be treated with contempt and disdain, so feel free to heap derision upon me, considering the last 2yo winner i backed, Cliff Fahler was getting fitted out for his first stetson!

  2. A cracking card at Caulfield.

    R6 Hucklebuck
    R8 Bounding/Heatherly
    R9 Azkadellia – take the early odds on offer now! $2.60+

  3. Looks like I’m following the Judge this week. I reckon Hucklebuck and Bounding pick themselves and I’m also keen on Rising Romance in the Peter Young/ St George
    Have something on Young Tigers Jeuny in the last in Adelaide if you need a get out.( unless you prefer W Pike at Ascot on something)
    Following on from my Adelaide tip, if you support the Bays, you can buy a home game membership for $140 (10 games) they need a bit of help this year.

  4. I like Bounding also in the Oakleigh Plate. She got to Group One class pretty quickly as a younger horse and hasn’t done a whole lot wrong since.

    Thought Scissor Kick could surprise a few in the Toorak. Went off the boil, but his 3yo form was very good, and P Messara is a good traveller.

  5. Elvis,
    Budge must be on the booze at MV as the “Toorak” comment appears to be going through to the keeper
    Lot of added weight on Bounding but I’m sticking, 2 one outs for me in the quaddie a few in the diamond and the fav and Choose in the last

  6. Correct Jock. Just saw him down there…free schooners I believe!
    Nice winner of the Typhoon Tracy tonight.
    Good luck to all who try tomorrow.

  7. Great to hear some lively banter here again ;-)

    For me Caulfield is the focus tomorrow….in the Zedative happy to go with Puritan and Santa Ana Lane….got $8 and $13 respectively so happy to run with that. In the Diamond, generally the winner is a class above them however the gates have created a problem for a couple. Happy to risk the fav’s and run with Concealer and Samara Dancer….couple of knockout could be Valliano and Zamzam with blinkers on.
    Oakleigh Plate looks almost a laydown for Keen Array if they’re really trying…only query is whether they try and dodge a a penalty for the Newmarket.
    Good luck to anyone wishing to take the 5/4 the fav in the last….taking the shorts about a horse that will clearly be spotting them 8-10 L is not my go…..good luck with it, it will probably win but leave me out!
    Good luck to all

  8. Back from MV sojourn. Goes pretty well does Almighty Girl. And yes, free schooners were excellent.
    Elvis clearly off his medication although I’m with him on Scissor Kick. Not overly confident but a must include in the multiples. Very keen on Fawkner. Great second up record and he’s an A grader in a second tier group race. Each way forever – that’s fixed him up!
    Will be having something each way Flamberge in the Oakleigh Plate ( Elvis may have invented another name for this race too). Top weight, crap barrier but flies fresh and happy to give him a try in an open race that has no clear superstars.
    Azkafriggindellia is a certainty in the last given I sacked her after having her going for plenty the other week in double with Suavito. Get on!

  9. Spot on Higgo re the last but she is going to be something special when she puts it all together. Ant get excited about Keen Array but stable is in form. Beaten nothing to warrant the price in open sprint Group One. Neither has Fell Swoop but I’d rather him as an on pacer myself. Not sure about Bounding either…. Rich Enuff form looked good at the time but not so now. Very astute trainer though.

  10. Do we all concede that Winx is a moral 2nd up in Sydney?

  11. Heatherly been pretty kind to me Budge but not smart enough to take any earlies in the Oakleigh, huge field which will produce the usual hard luck stories.
    Have taken earlies Tally in the AJC Derby and reckon it can knock Mahuta off today.
    Very good source gave me Mediterranean a month ago, heads to Randwick today for its first go….Huge wrap!

  12. Enjoyed the Valley last night. Interesting comments from the 2 apprentices, Zac Spain and Bec Waymouth, after their debut venue wins. Both commented that their mounts were good “Apprentice’s horse”(s), tractable and trying. Sometimes the claim is a bonus. Other horses need the experienced hoop and there are plenty of examples of horses improving when a senior replaces a claimer.

    Note Mahuta scratched today. Pity, but it further strengthens the Guineas next week.

  13. Crio, Winx probably wins but ridiculous odds. I think she’s another More Joyous, class keeps her winning but not the super star she appears on paper. Lack of pace worries me for Hartnell, goes super fresh but they look like walking up front. What leads? Dibayani? Mongolian Khan?
    If pace were there I’d happily back a couple to beat her, however given that there isn’t any, I’ll sit it out.
    Moral? No
    Win? Probably

  14. What a brilliant Diamond winner! Runner-up had issues and will progress. Daylight 3rd.
    Off the the Sales this arvo – recommended theatre for horse lovers. Oaklands Junction, 10 mins from Tulla.
    Miracle Mile today also?

  15. Not every day you tip a $30 Group One winner!
    Hope some of you got on Flamberge.

  16. Well done Budge!
    I’m too clever for that. Fell Swoop left me a nose from glory. Another second.

  17. Budge…on fire.
    Bombers look to be topping off the weekend for you

  18. Oh yeah really going to fall for practice game form…..not.

  19. Thanks Budge…I did check out Flamberge’s fresh record and had something with you. As mentioned earlier I found the $13 Santa Ana Lane and tumbled into Charlie Boy at the $15 as well.
    Bring on the Autumn!

  20. Well done Higgo. Sounded like you thought it was a lay down benefit for Keen Array. Glad you took a saver.

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