You’d be forgiven for not realising that there was also a Group 1 race in Sydney on Saturday, given how good the Caulfield Guineas Day card is.
Alas, the Spring Champion Stakes has draw a fair field of three-year-olds to Randwick on Saturday, for what will actually be the final Group 1 feature of the spring, north of the border. The Everest does not count.
I’m more than happy to take on the odds-on favourite and my 2019 Spring Champion Stakes tips are below.
Suggested Bets
- 2 Units straight out #1 Castelvecchio
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections below
Castelvecchio was comfortably accounted for in the Golden Rose last time out, but the Spring Champion Stakes has loomed as his race to lose, pretty much since his debut and I am certainly not going to jump off at the eleventh hour. The Dundeel colt was obviously an outstanding two-year-old and ended his campaign with a well-earned win in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes. I’m confident he’ll be at peak fitness for this race third-up and I can’t wait to see what he can do at 2000m.
Shadow Hero beat most of these rivals in what couldn’t have been a more impressive display in the Group 3 Gloaming last time out, but he didn’t run into a horse as good as Castelvecchio and I don’t think he’s up to beating him. To be fair, Shadow Hero hasn’t run a bad race so far and I also think that he’ll improve third-up. Mark Newnham won this race last year and is offered a good chance again, but Shadow Hero will need to run out of his skin.
Kiwi raider Quick Thinker is also yet to return a bad effort and is an obvious first three contender in Spring Champion Stakes betting. The So You Think colt won the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality when resuming in August, before finishing third in the Gloaming last time out. He’s drawn a peach in barrier 4 and has the notable advantage of Nash Rawiller confirmed to ride.
Just Thinkin’ has enjoyed a competitive campaign this time and he looks up to running a place in the open Spring Champion Stakes field. The So You Think gelding won each of his first two starts when resuming, including the Listed Dulcify before running a credible fourth to Shadow Hero last time. He’s rock-hard fit and I can’t find a reason why he can’t run another good race.