The first Group 1 of the year will take place at Caulfield on Saturday when a host of talented gallopers contest the 2020 C.F. Orr Stakes.

A stack of Group 1 winners have been included in the C.F. Orr Stakes field and it is set to be a very strong form reference for the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.

We have analysed every single horse in the race and our complete 2020 C.F. Orr Stakes tips can be found below.

Avilius

It will be interesting to see which Avilius shows up for his Autumn campaign. Avilius was one of the stars of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and he looked set for a big Spring when he won the George Main Stakes, but he wasn’t at his best in either the Ladbrokes Stakes or the Ladbrokes Cox Plate. He doesn’t have a bad first-up record, but I still think that he will need this run under his belt before he is able to perform at his best.

Hey Doc

Hey Doc is one of the leading contenders in the C.F. Orr Stakes. He returned to his brilliant best with a dominant victory in the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth and he was only narrowly denied in the Australia Stakes at The Valley last start. The step-up to 1400 metres might actually be an advantage for him at this stage of his racing career and Luke Currie will be able to settle him right on the speed from barrier five. It would surprise if he wasn’t in the finish.

Scales Of Justice

Scales Of Justice is a deserving favourite in C.F. Orr Stakes betting. He did have all the favours to win the Australia Stakes, Dean Yendall gave him a peach of a ride, but he should still take improvement from that effort. The step-up to 1400 metres is ideal for him and he won the Memsie Stakes over this track and distance in the Spring. Yendall will be able to settle him just behind the speed once again and a repeat of his Australia Stakes performance would make him very tough to beat.

Fierce Impact

Fierce Impact went to another level during his 2019 Spring Racing Carnival campaign. He claimed a maiden Group 1 victory with a fast-finishing win in the Toorak Handicap and he proved that was no fluke with an impressive victory in the Kennedy Cantala. The step-up to weight-for-age is a tough one though and he will need to improve again to be a genuine chance in these sort of races. The Deep Impact entire generally requires a run before he produces his best and I do think that he will be better suited over 1600 metres.

Kings Will Dream

Kings Will Dream will return to the races for the first time since he finished sixth in the Mackinnon Stakes. He is capable of a high-rating performance on his day, as we saw when he won the Turnbull Stakes during the Spring, but the Australian Cup will be his major target. It is highly unlikely that trainer Chris Waller will have him at anywhere near his best for this contest.

Fifty Stars

Fifty Stars narrowly missed out on a maiden Group 1 victory in the Kennedy Cantala and he went on to run fairly in both the Mackinnon Stakes and the Ballarat Cup. The Sea The Stars entire has never really measured-up at weight-for-age level and I think that a race of this quality is beyond him.

So Si Bon

It would not surprise to see So Si Bon run a big race in the C.F. Orr Stakes and he is outstanding value at his current odds. He doesn’t win out of turn and you can understand why he is such a big price, but there are a number of factors in his favour in this contest. So Si Bon ran an absolute bottler behind Scales Of Justice in the Memsie Stakes over this track and distance in the Spring and he generally does run well fresh. The wide barrier draw is an advantage, as it should ensure that he will get clear running, and he will be flying down the outside late.

Mirage Dancer

Mirage Dancer made his Australian racing debut with a third place finish in the Caulfield Cup before he finished 14th in the Melbourne Cup. This is the first time that he has contested a race over 1400 metres and I think that this field will prove too slick for him over this trip.

Night’s Watch

Night’s Watch ran well without winning during his Spring campaign and he didn’t have a great deal of luck in running in the majority of his race starts. He is another galloper that has never really fired at weight-for-age level and I have him priced at double his current quote of $15.

Begood Toya Mother

Begood Toya Mother is one of the most interesting horses in the 2020 C.F. Orr Stakes field. You can put a pen through his run in the Australia Stakes, as he was severely hampered when Manuel fell with 100 metres left to run, and he is basically going into this contest fresh. He claimed a much-deserved win at Group 1 level when he won the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes in the Spring and he wasn’t disgraced at weight-for-age level in the Spring. You would expect Declan Bates to ride him aggressively in the early stages of this contest and he is another galloper that will be in the mix.

Ringerdingding

After a flat Spring, Ringerdingding showed signs of returning to his best form in the Australia Stakes. He ran all the fastest closing sectionals in the race and the step-up to 1400 metres will prove ideal for him. Barrier one is a concern though, as he does get a long way back in the run, and he will need some luck in running at the right time. $13 is around the right price.

Alabama Express

Alabama Express is the sole three-year-old in the C.F. Orr Stakes field and is the x-factor in this race. He finished a credible seventh behind the best three-year-olds in the country in the Coolmore Stud Stakes and he returned to the races with a classy victory at Flemington. This is a big step-up in class and he would need to go to another level to be a genuine winning chances, but the upside is definitely there.