We’re back to HQ on Saturday for another quality nine-race program that is dripping with talent.
I’ve run the rule over every galloper and race, and you can find all of my Flemington Tips below!
Direct makes his eagerly awaited return to the races in the first at Flemington on Saturday and I’m keen to have something on.
The Siyouni gelding won each of his first three starts back last time in, finding form around some talented gallopers in the process, and he ended his campaign with a run up at the Magic Millions, albeit a failed tilt.
He’s yet to miss placing in five previous fresh attempts and certainly looks up to something like this.
Happy to stick with Sunsource when he steps out a huge price second-up at HQ this week.
Sunsource was good during his debut prep, winning a lucrative race at Ballarat on debut before a couple of runs up in Queensland.
I thought that his fresh run here was decent, though he was well beaten, and I am confident he’ll enjoy plenty of improvement into this contest.
Teewaters’ third-up run was excellent, and a win appears imminent.
It has been a while between race wins for the four-year-old son of Dundeel, but after a couple of fair performances first and second-up this time, I thought his most recent effort over the 2000m was full of merit.
Flemington is definitely his go, as is the rise in trip that he gets this week, and I think he’ll be right in the finish again.
If General Beau doesn’t win this race, he may never win one again!
The Brazen Beau gelding was excellent during his two-year-old prep, striking a couple of times in black type company most notably, but he now hasn’t won a race for nearly two years.
That being said, his first two runs back this time in Group 3 company were good, and he was just a little outclassed in The Goodwood at his latest.
This is a big drop in class, and even with topweight, I think he’s just going to prove too good for this lot.
I thought that Good And Proper was too bad to be true at Sandown last time out, and I am keen to give her another chance back at Flemington this week.
The Shooting To Win mare didn’t miss placing at her first three starts back this time, winning the VOBIS Gold Distaff most notably, while she was also good over this route behind Party For One.
She steps out this week in peak order, is drawn well and gets some relief in the weights under Celine Gaudray.
Good race – arguably the best on the program, and some serious black type talent is engaged, including Frankie Pinot.
Having finished second in both the Victoria Handicap and the Wangoom Handicap, Frankie Pinot was a bit of out of his depth in The Goodwood, but was a decent sixth, beaten only two lengths here last time out.
He’s another that takes his place this week in good order, he is ideally suited to the conditions of the race and drops in weight from his last-start effort.
I’m very keen on Jimmy The Bear third-up at his pet track and trip this week.
Jimmy The Bear has proven to be a standout for the Patty Payne yard for a couple of seasons now, and after returning with a decent run for fifth in the Straight Six last month, he chased home an impressive King Magnus over 1400m last time out.
He is a horse that tends to find his best with a couple of runs under his belt and from the good draw this week, he is my best bet on the program.
He has drawn a little awkwardly in 13, but every horse should be given its chance over the 2000m at Flemington and with that in mind, I’m going to have something on Artzino.
Artzino stamped himself as a galloper to follow during a competitive debut prep last year, but finished down the order in Group 2 company in his one autumn appearance this year.
Having returned a nice performance to finish third, beaten less than a length by a fit Elkington Road at Sandown three weeks ago, I’m confident he’ll tighten up for that hit-out, while I also like the booking of in-form apprentice Wiremu Pinn.
Legio Ten has recorded two wins from as many starts back this time and looms as the one to beat again in the last at HQ on Saturday.
The Exopshere gelding ended his last prep with a smart win in maiden company, picking up where he left off in dominant fashion at Bendigo this time.
He franked that performance with another excellent one over this route last time, and he’s another one that should only improve again this week.