Races

VIDEO: Sam Hyland – Australian Cup

Posted on | Posted by Sam Hyland

It’s like Christmas for punters this weekend, with two cracking Group 1s at Flemington the highlight of Super Saturday, while Randwick will also host a couple of top races at the top level.

The first Group 1 at Flemington is the time-honoured Newmarket Handicap (Race 6) – a race won by some of the best sprinters of all-time. Last year’s winner REDKIRK WARRIOR (No. 1) returns to defend his title after resuming with a brilliant win in the Lightning three weeks ago. Stablemate CATCHY (No. 15) will carry just 50kg, and looks a top chance following her slashing first-up run in the Oakleigh Plate. Boom colt MERCHANT NAVY (No. 11), who won the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes up the straight in the spring, is likely to start favourite and has been set for this.

Leviathan owner Lloyd Williams will launch a three-pronged attack on the $1.5m Australian Cup (Race 8), with Almandin (No. 2), The Taj Mahal (No. 9) and Homesman (No. 10), and all of them have a great chance. Standing in Williams’ way of another Flemington feature is champion trainer Darren Weir, who has star stayer GAILO CHOP (No. 4), a six-time winner at 2000m.

We see the return of reigning Epsom Handicap winner HAPPY CLAPPER (No. 1) in the Canterbury Stakes (Race 6) at Randwick, and the seven-year-old looks primed to run a huge race first-up. Perhaps the hardest to beat is classy sprinter CLEARLY INNOCENT (No. 2), who is three from four at 1300m.

The Randwick Guineas (Race 7) is an absolute belter. ACE HIGH (No. 1) and TRAPEZE ARTIST (No. 2) are already Group 1 winners, while it appears only a matter of time before PIERATA (No. 5) joins them. They all have to beat KEMENTARI (No. 3), though. He’s one of racing’s rising stars, and has been ultra-impressive in winning both starts this campaign.

Best Bets:

FLEMINGTON

Race 4, No. 2 – Sanctimonious

RANDWICK

Race 2, No. 3 – Houtzen




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