Super Saturday at Flemington is one of the highlights of the Autumn Racing Carnival with not one, but two Group 1’s headlining the program.
There’s a case to be made for a few in this year’s $1.5 million Newmarket Handicap, while the Australian Cup has attracted a strong field of stayers made up of Think It Over, Cascadian, and Spanish Mission.
Eight of the nine races boast black-type status, and our best bets for the entire meeting can be found below.
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Race 1 – 12:35pm – Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m)
Va Via was an impressive winner at Sandown last week and looks capable of going on with it now on a quick turnaround.
The two-year-old Godolphin filly responded well with the blinkers on and probably deserved to win by more given she was held up late.
Her runs prior were strong, running second to Latizia at Flemington on New Year’s Day and only two lengths sixth to Revolutionary Miss in the Blue Diamond Prelude.
The blinkers come off now for the first time and she can be expected to run well.
Race 2 – 1:10pm – Group 3 Matron Stakes (1600m)
Flying Mascot looks to have returned in good order after putting a scare into Probabeel first-up in the Bellmaine Stakes, follow by a big win in the Mannerism two weeks ago at Caulfield.
She won the Tesio Stakes by over four lengths third-up at The Valley during the spring and is proven over this trip with a win and a place on the board. Blaike McDougall sticks and the pair should be fighting out the finish.
Race 3 – 1:45pm – Listed Moomba Plate (1100m)
This sets up nicely for General Beau in his second run back.
He had plenty against him first-up in the Oakleigh Plate where he was caught wide, but I still thought he showed plenty in the finish to get up and run seventh.
This is a drop back in grade, and I think he’s a much better Flemington horse given he won both on debut and the Blue Diamond Preview at Headquarters last year.
Race 4 – 2:20pm – Group 2 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m)
Quite like Merchant Prince here with a bit of a fitness edge over some of his rivals.
Lightly raced two-year-old colt out of the Peter Moody yard that deserved to finish much closer than seventh after being held up for a run in the Blue Diamond.
His maiden win at Pakenham was sound, and he also ran well to finish a clear third at Sandown over 1300m behind a promising type in Sir Bailey.
The wide gate is the only issue, but he should be among those on-speed if Luke Nolan can shuffle across in the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes.
Race 5 – 3:00pm – Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1600m)
Yearning typically takes a couple of runs to fire, but her run in the Armanasco first-up at Caulfield was too good to ignore.
The Snitzel filly flew home late to run third under Jye McNeil, which is significant considering the pattern of that race was against her.
She crossed the line with plenty in hand and has gotten the job done over the mile previously. Was game late for second over this track and trip in the Edward Manifold during the spring and has a slight class edge over some of these in the Kewney Stakes with a Group 1 Thousand Guineas win on the resume.
Race 6 – 3:40pm – Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m)
Artorius has been a tough horse to follow for most of his career, but this has clearly been a target race for him for some time.
The son of Flying Artie over-raced first-up in the Rubiton on his way to finishing sixth, but he did clock some nice late sectionals to suggest he’ll appreciate getting out over further.
A lot depends on how he jumps, but he was strong during the spring finishing third to Anamoe in the Caulfield Guineas, and then third again to dual Group 1 winner Home Affairs in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
Certainly has the ability, and if the speed suits early, he’ll be right in this.
Race 7 – 4:20pm – Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m)
Duais is a promising stayer out of the Edward Cummings yard that already owns two wins to her name over this trip.
She was strong late on a Heavy 10 at Randwick when sixth to Verry Elleegant in the Chipping Norton, and probably would have finished even closer if she wasn’t held up down the straight.
Untried at Flemington, but was a strong third-up winner of a Group 3 at Caulfield during the spring and should appreciate getting back on top of the ground.
Her recent racing suggests she’s set to peak third-up, and if she gets back early, she’ll be hard to hold out.
Race 8 – 5:00pm – Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap (1400m)
Groundswell doesn’t win out of turn, but he’s typically a good bet over this trip with four wins on the board.
The son of Fastnet Rock has just run out of steam late in both runs back so far, but with a little more fitness on his side now and a genuine tempo engaged, I think he’ll be in this for a long way.
Passes the Flemington test with a win and a place on the board, and if he does get the front all to himself, he’ll take catching.
Race 9 – 5:35pm – Cirka Plate (1400m)
Linas Legend is a much better horse than his recent run in the CS Hayes Stakes suggests.
The colt by Teofilo was no match from the awkward draw after settling four wide the trip, but he’s worth forgiving after running third first-up in a Group 1 at Caulfield over 1200m.
His spring form was equally good winning back-to-back starts at Echuca and Sandown, the latter coming ahead of Saturday’s rival Fortunate Kiss.
