The final Group 1 race of the season headlines an impressive card at Doomben on Saturday. The Tattersall’s Tiara has drawn a capacity and open field of fillies and mares, and it is shaping as one of the most lucrative feature races of the carnival – particularly with Fat Odds on offer for every runner. The busy schedule at Doomben this winter will see the rail set out three metres around the entire course on Tattersall’s Tiara Day, but a good racing surface still appears likely.
Eleven two-year-old fillies will step out in the first on Tatt’s Tiara Day and of those horses, two are on debut. The market has opened with Bare Naked Lady ($3.40) as a pretty firm favourite and she has continued to receive plenty of attention in betting. The southern raider debuted with a credible performance for third over 1000m at Muswellbrook in April, before breaking her maiden in style at Scone last time out. She’s trialled extremely well in the lead-up to this race and will be extremely difficult to beat.
The first black type race on the card has drawn eight horses including last-start winner Granny Red Shoes, who has firmed into clear odds-on favouritism. Granny Red Shoes has enjoyed an outstanding campaign and finished second to Eawase in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes before posting a dominant win in the Listed Oxlade Stakes last time out. This looks an easier assignment and she should be winning again. There is just no value left at her $1.55 quote and I am subsequently happy to watch them go around.
A capacity field of horses with no metro wins to their name within the last 24 months will step out in the third. The Cairns-based Man Around Town has been racing well this time and is the $5.50 favourite in betting at the time of publish. The six-year-old has comfortably won a pair of sprints at Gordonvale and Atherton most recently, but obviously faces a tough task on Saturday and has drawn the carpark. A horse that appeals at odds is the John Manzelmann-trained Gingersnap, who will enjoy a relief in the weights. The Snippetson mare was a smart winner at Bowen two runs back and she can find a nice position behind the pace from a central draw, before mustering a turn of foot. In-form hoop Jamie Kah in the saddle is also a plus. I’ll be having a small each-way bet on Gingersnap, but this is a pretty open race.
Thirteen horses remain in contention for this Class 6 Plate and there is a case to be made for more than half the field. The Rob Heathcote-trained No Annamossity has returned to racing in smart form this time and has already attracted good interest in betting; firming into $3.50 favouritism. The Mossman gelding ran a credible second at Ipswich first-up and took plenty of improvement into a dominant win over this course and distance last time. He’s drawn well and should be right in the finish. Inspired Estelle ($7) failed to fire last time out, but she is capable of a strong performance on the right day and she looks over the odds at her current price. The half-sister to Lankan Rupee has typically found her best at Doomben and with Jeff Lloyd in the saddle, can return to winning form.
A quality field of three-year-olds will chase the QTIS prize money on offer in the fifth and several leading chances of drawn into the field wide; really opening it up from a betting perspective. Kiwi raider The Bostonian was outstanding when winning the Listed Daybreak Lover first-up a fortnight ago and he can go on with the job here, despite drawing gate 15. The Jimmy Choux gelding won at Listed level upon resuming last time in and continued to impress amongst black type company before eventually finishing fifth in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. He looks to have a class edge here and will be tough to beat. Shogun Sun ($4.60) is yet to show his best this time, but he is rock-hard fit and ready for a competitive performance. The Written Tycoon gelding finished fourth in the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas first-up before placing fifth in each of the Group 3 Fred Best Classic and the Daybreak Lover most recently.
Ten stayers will step out in the Tattersall’s Cup and betting has already been dominated by the Darren Weir-trained Tradesman ($1.80). The Trade Fair gelding has produced a number of strong performances this time and held on to win the Listed Ipswich Cup last weekend. This looks to be a tough field and he could prove vulnerable with the single week between runs. Veteran Honey Toast ($8) has returned to good order this time and is capable of surprising at good odds on Saturday. Honey Toast finished second in both a 2030m race at Doomben and the Toowoomba Cup in late March and April, and returned from a freshen-up for fifth in the Listed Wayne Wilson a fortnight ago. The step up in trip is ideal.
The GH Mumm Stakes has drawn a smart field of milers and surely, the Darren Weir-trained Ulmann ($4.80) has found his ideal race this time in. The Sebring took a few runs to find form upon resuming this time, but savaged the line for second in the Listed Wayne Wilson last time out. He’s drawn ideally in barrier 4 and has a class edge over most of his rivals. Jamaican Rain ($3) is seeking a third-consecutive win and is understandably the main danger. The Manhattan Rain mare dominated a Cranbourne 1200m race first-up in May, before hitting the line nearly two lengths in the clear of her rivals in a 1500m race at Moonee Valley last time out. The only concern is the uncertainty over her ability at the opposite way of going.
The final Group 1 race of the season has drawn and outstanding field of fillies and mares and there is plenty of value to be found around every horse in betting. Three-year-old Champagne Cuddles ($7) has been on the cusp of a Group 1 win for close to a year and could break through on Saturday. Running second in both the Group 1 Golden Rose and Group 1 Flight Stakes in spring, she has won the Gold Coast Guineas this time and finished third in both the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup and Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap leading into this race. She’s drawn ideally and weighted to win. Kiwi raider Miss Wilson ($21) is a Group 1 winner in her homeland and brings a different form line into this race – she could prove over the odds. The Stratum mare quickly found form in autumn and let down well to win the Group 1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes in April. She’s trialled extremely well since arriving in Australia and has the ability to fight out the finish. Savanna Amour ($11) is a multiple black type winner and is ready to peak third-up. She absolutely savaged the line for an impressive win in the Listed Hinkler Handicap a fortnight ago and she’s drawn into this field well on the rails. CLICK HERE for full 2018 Tattersall’s Tiara odds & Betting Update
The Healy Stakes always draws a strong field of sprinters and this year’s is no exception – we are looking at $6 the field at the time of publish. Calanda ($6) is sure to take plenty of benefit into his second-up start here and will be tough to beat. He is a horse that generally improves with a run under his belt, but he will need to call on everything after drawing the extreme outside. Bassett ($16) worked home well to finish fourth in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes last weekend and has drawn ideally into this field in barrier 2. The Savabeel gelding finished third in the Listed Wangoom Handicap on May 2nd and ran fifth in both the Group 3 BRC Sprint and Listed Spear Chief Quality leading into last weekend’s featured sprint.