It’s the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington on Saturday ending another exciting week of quality racing.

There are two Group 1 races on the card and plenty more to get through and our full 2021 Mackinnon Stakes Day Preview can be found below.

Preview brought to you by Ladbrokes. Learn more about Ladbrokes HERE.

Hosier is a very exciting and lightly raced five year old who has managed four wins from six career race starts.

He put together four wins in a row during his last prep culminating in a narrow victory over Tooradin over 2000m at Flemington.

1600m is ideal for him on the big track and this looks a very winnable race for him first up.

The 2019 Victoria Derby winner Warning returned to the winner’s stall when taking out the ATC St Leger Stakes at Randwick last start.

He showed a very good turn of foot late in that race over 2600m and finds a very winnable contest here with only six horses accepting for the Group 3 event.

He’s rock bottom odds but he’s the one to beat.

Lunatic Fringe finished her last campaign with back to back win at Casterton and Coleraine by a combined 12.25 lengths.

She was a narrow winner when resuming at Warrnambool in a benchmark 64 but they beat home third by a further 1.75 lengths.

The winkers have been added for the first time and she drawn to get a nice run in transit from barrier four.

Decent Raine is a talented young filly who has been competitive at this level in her last couple of races.

She finished third at Listed level at Royal Randwick behind Fangirl who looks to have Group 1 ability after her win last Saturday at Flemington.

Nimalee has been consistent without winning throughout this campaign and finished just over a length off Colette in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes last Saturday.

She looks really well placed dropping back in grade for this assignment despite the top weight.

Zayydani showed her class when scoring back to back wins in Queensland to close out her last prep.

She has been working through her gears in all three runs so far this prep and should be ready to peak now.

Race 6 – 3:50pm – Group 1 Darley Sprint Classic (1200m)

There is not a lot to say about the 2021 Darley Sprint Classic as it really does look as if Nature Strip looks a good thing and his price reflects that.

He has scared off most of his rivals and this field is extremely weak for such a great race.

I could not recommend diving into the short price but I wouldn’t want to be on any other horse either.

Race 7 – 4:30pm – Group 3 Chatham Stakes (1400m)

Chaillot was electric when winning at Sandown first when she stormed over her rivals from last to win.

She was excellent last Saturday in the Group 1 Kennedy Cantala finishing within 1.75 lengths of the winner Superstorm.

A lot of things are in her favour in this event including a beautiful barrier and the fact that she is three from three at 1400m has me confident she will be in the finish.

Race 8 – 5:10pm – Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m)

The Verry Elleegant and Incentivise form is what you want to be following when assessing the 2021 Mackinnon Stakes in my opinion.

Mo’unga beat the 2021 Melbourne Cup winner first up before being narrowly beaten in the Makybe Diva behind Incentivise.

He was far from disgraced in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate and none of the horses that finished in front of him that day are in this race.

Kerrin McEvoy will steer from barrier five and he represents great value at his current price.

Race 9 – 5:50pm – World Horse Racing Grand Handicap (1100m)

The final race of the day is a really tough race to assess.

I’ve landed on the progressive Yulong Defence who has now won three of his six career race starts with his last start narrow victory at Moe.

This is a significant jump in class but he represents nice each way value.