This is a drop in class for Plaquette and she is primed to win.
The four-year-old daughter of Exceed And Excel rarely returns a flat effort, and she simply couldn’t have been more impressive when scoring fresh on the Kensington course at Randwick.
She has since finished second behind Blazing Miss over 1000m at Randwick and filled the minors, just half a length from the winner in BM80 company down the straight at Flemington.
Returning to Sydney should prove ideal, she is at peak fitness and will launch from a good gate with Hugh Bowman in the saddle.
This is an outstanding edition of the Starlight Stakes, and is shapes as an intriguing betting race.
Viridine probably found his best form last time in and this looks a lovely launchpad for him.
The six-year-old son of Poet’s Voice has always hinted at above-average ability, and while he hasn’t quite lived up to the hype, he won three of his last four starts in winter, including both the Bletchingly Stakes and the Regal Roller Stakes.
His fresh record is good and he has had the benefit of a couple of trials leading into this race, while I also think that his class will take him a long way towards winning.
Profit hasn’t been seen at the races since winter, but he races well fresh and has a class edge over a lot of his rivals in the Recognition Stakes.
The Dundeel gelding has recorded four wins and five placings from just twelve career starts so far, and returned plenty of bold efforts in good races last prep.
He has trialled extremely well in the lead-up to his return, he is weighted well, and the $8 available for him at publish could very well prove over the odds.
Trekking is far and away the best horse in the field is an obvious top pick in the Winterbottom Stakes.
The multiple Group 1 winner has been an outstanding horse for Godolphin for several seasons now, and he added The Goodwood to his record most notably in autumn this year.
He has so far had three starts this preparation, finishing second in both the Group 1 Moir and the Group 1 Manikato at The Valley, and toughing it out to the line for fourth in The Everest.
This is a decent drop in class from all of those contests, he has been kept up to the mark with a trial since arriving in the west and Willy Pike rides – all big ticks.