The feature race at this Saturday’s Flemington meeting, the G3 Aurie’s Star has attracted a competitive field of thirteen runners with Sydney visitor and Group 1 winner Tiger Tees the early favourite at $3.70. Under the handicap conditions of the race, Tiger Tees has been assigned 59kgs which sees him giving all bar CrackerJack King, at least 3kgs.
Tigers Tees hasn’t been to Flemington since he finished fourth (4.6 lengths) to Mental in the G1 Patinack Farm Stakes with his only other run up the straight course resulting in third placing (1 length) to Fontelina in the G2 Yellowglen Stakes. Both races ran under WFA conditions.
Zamorar ($5.00), who ran third in this race in 2012, is on the second line of better after a solid first up win. Winner of the 2012 edition Shanghai Warrior is quoted a $7.00 along with Mr. Chard, the only other two runners under double figure odds in early markets.
Special Offer: $250 FREE BET – Sportsbet
1. TIGER TEES – D Oliver (8) 59kgs
Put together his best campaign yet when last in work, claiming the G1 The Galaxy and running third in the G1 All Aged Stakes. He kicked off that campaign with a narrow win in the Listed Favelon Quality (1200m) over the well performed Adebisi, taking his fresh record to four wins from seven starts. As he did prior to last campaign, he has had two trials in preparation for his return, finishing alongside Valentia and Bennetta in the most recent. Previous straight runs very good and will be in this for a long way. Any rain helps.
2. CRACKERJACK KING – M Walker (12) 58kgs
A 7yo stallion from European, the son of Shamardal will be having his first Australian race start for the Hayes/Dabernig camp on Saturday and his first race for two years. He has won seven of his ten starts including the G3 Derby Italiano and the G1 Presidente Stakes but each of his starts has been at distance of or greater than, 1800m.
3. ZAMORAR – K Mallyon (2) 55kgs
The lightly raced 6yo did well when closing from the second half of the field first up, to nail Fab Fevola right on the line in a 1000m event at Flemington three weeks ago. Second up last campaign he was narrowly beaten by the well-performed Pago Rock, whom he gave 2.5kgs when carrying 59kgs. Drops to 55kgs here and combined with his first up run and record at this track, he has missed a place only once in five starts, he looks very well placed.
4. PILLAR OF CREATION – D Lane (1) 54kgs
Locally trained galloper who has been in solid form this preparation and also the subject of good support in early betting, firming from $14 into $10.00. His most recent start was four weeks ago when, under 57kgs on a slow track, he finished fifth (2.9 lengths) behind Nearest To Pin, the same horse he had defeated two starts earlier in a 1200m race at Moonee Valley when carrying 54.5kgs. Gets back to that weight here and the freshen up will serve him well.
Special Offer 2: $250 FREE BET – Ladbrokes
5. SHANGHAI WARRIOR – B Melham (9) 54kgs
His three runs back from a 15 months spell have seen him fill a place on each occasion, with the most recent effort resulting in the Pat Hyland trained galloper running third (1.7 lengths) to Nearest To Pin in the Listed Vic Sprint. Another who drops 2.5kgs on his last start and who also enjoys racing at Flemington. Fourth up, the lightest weight he has been assigned so far this prep and a solid pace up front, should see the son of Elvstroem again finishing hard. His last win was this race in 2012.
6. BROKEN – M Payne (4) 54kgs
As she did when victorious in this race last year, the Darren Weir trained mare had her final hit-out last week at Moonee Valley, running fifth of six and finishing close to eight lengths from the winner Our Nkwazi. That was her fifth run in this campaign but unfortunately none of them have been good enough to suggest she’ll be able to defend her title successfully.
7. TEXT’N’ HURLEY – C Schofield (5) 54kgs
Smart mare who rounded out her last campaign with a comfortable 2 ½ length win in the G2 Sunline Stakes (1600m), her fifth win from only twelve starts. She returns here off a nineteen week spell and wasn’t asked to do a great deal in a recent barrier trial when ridden by Damien Oliver (Tiger Tees). First up last prep she finished sixth of eight in a BM 90 (1200m) and whilst she’s improving all the time, likely to need more ground than this before producing her best.
8. ROAD TRIPPIN’ – S Baster (6) 54kgs
Last time we saw Stephen Theodore’s gelding was in the Listed C S Hayes Stakes (1600m) in Adelaide back in March. Hasn’t been seen at any public trials and his best performances come when competing over a longer trip than this one.
9. MR CHARD – N Hall (7) 54kgs
He was prepared for his return to racing a fortnight ago off a fifteen month spell, with two smart trial wins for his new trainer Tony McEvoy. Off the back of those efforts he started the 15/10 favourite in the Morphettville 1000m event. He was bettered a neck by Mr Good Cat but will obviously strip fitter again and stable is never far from the money when visiting Victoria.
10. SINO EAGLE – L Meech (11) 54kgs
Peter Moody’s mare has progressed through her grades at a good rate of knots, and looks set to continue her improvement judging by her smart two length win at Caulfield in Open company a fortnight ago. She’s two from three second up and her two starts at Flemington have netted her a win (RST 84) and a third placing in the G3 Tressday Stakes behind Five All and Floria. Drawn out in eleven makes things a little awkward but cannot be dismissed on that factor only.
11. GRAND EMPEROR – D Dunn (10) 54kgs
Given a brief let-up after finishing a disappointing seventh of ten as the 2/1 favourite at Moonee Valley and returned a fortnight ago in the WFA G3 Bletchingly Stakes. He didn’t make mach of an impact from the tail of the field in the Bletchingly, only holding his ground in the run home to finish sixth behind Thiamandi. Better suited back to this grade and weight. Last start here resulted in an unlucky sixth (2.2 lengths) behind Lonhspresso in the Listed Straight Six. He maybe one for those looking for a roughie in the multiples.
Special Offer 3: $500 FREE BET – Luxbet
12. SMACKDOWN – J Benbow (13) 54kgs
Andrew Benyan produced this galloper first up off a nine month spell to go within a head of winning a Flemington Open class race over 1000m. Winner of that race was Zamorar, second favourite for this event which makes the price offered about his chances this weekend, seem a little generous. Even more so when seeing that he has a third to Shamal Wind and a close up sixth to Unpretentious, under WFA conditions, on his resume.
13. CREAMERY LANE – C Symons (3) 54kgs
Stable-mate to Smackdown, this lightly raced 5yo gelding’s only win from eleven starts came at the start of his preparation when successful in a Moe Maiden. His three starts since then, all in much easier grade than this, has netted him one placing and he appears to be aiming too high here.
RACE OVERVIEW
Tiger Tees is the class runner of the race and was also considered for Rosehill’s Missile Stakes Saturday, which should give a good indication on how his trainer believes him to be going. The possibility of a softer track swayed Pride to head south and it should pay dividends. He was fantastic in each start last campaign and is two runs up the straight course have also been very good. A drop in weights and the return to 1200m with the benefit of freshen up, should see Pillar Of Creation run a good race at decent odds. An anticipated solid pace up front should see Shanghai Warrior continue his solid form and no surprise to see the opening price for Text’n Hurley of $19.00 quickly snapped up. She’ll be hitting the line very hard.
- TIGER TEES
- PILLAR OF CREATION
- SHANGHAI WARRIOR
- ZAMORAR