2024 All-Star Mile Day Tips & Preview
Mr Brightsidef resumes in Saturday's Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart.

2024 All-Star Mile Day Tips & Preview

The sixth running of the $3.75 million All-Star Mile is the headline act on Saturday’s 10-race card at Caulfield. 

Defending champ Mr Brightside goes around at a very short price, joining the likes of proven Group 1 winners Cascadian and Pride Of Jenni in a competitive field.  

A cooler day is expected after last week’s heatwave, and you can find our thoughts on every race ahead of All-Star Mile Day below! 

Race 1 - 12:15PM Sportsbet Victoria Gold Cup (2000 METRES)
No. 3 Muramasa

Muramasa looks one of the toughest to beat if he brings his best.  

The mile was well short of his best on return two weeks ago, beaten four lengths in the end by Atishu in the Blamey Stakes where he was always wide and only finding top gear late.  

He’s better suited out over these longer staying trips in which we’ve seen him win at Group 2 level last spring.  

There’s good early speed engaged, but he should be able to slot in behind from barrier 3 and wait for a gap to open up down the straight.  

Race 2 - 12:45PM VOBIS Gold Reef (1600 METRES)
No. 1 Fistsoffury

Fistsoffury should be winning third-up for Team Hawkes.  

This three-year-old son of Dundeel bumped into a very smart horse second-up over the mile at Flemington a couple of weeks ago, finishing 1.3 lengths second to Doncaster hopeful, Another Wil.  

Despite finishing a good gap back, he was clearly the second-best horse in the field that day with improvement still to come.  

Proven third-up and drawn to receive the gun run with cover, he should take beating with only 4kg’s extra in the saddle.  

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Race 3 - 1:20PM Sharp EIT Solutions Handicap (1200 METRES)
No. 8 The Hass

The Hass had genuine excuses first-up at The Valley in his debut run for trainer Phillip Stokes.  

Only lightly-raced for a five-year-old, the son of British Group 2 winner Ajaya was held up badly in the run home and found to have cardiac arrythmia post-race upon examination.  

It’s been over a year now since he last won a race, but we did see him wrap up his spring with two tidy efforts over further at Sandown and Cranbourne. 

He’s typically fast into stride, so from the inside gate with Stackhouse retaining the ride, it wouldn’t be surprising if he lands on the speed and gives a good sight.  

Race 4 - 1:55PM Reward Hospitality VOBIS Gold Comet (1000 METRES)
No. 3 Lempicka

Lempicka was second last to greet the judge first-up in the Oakleigh Plate where she battled away out wide from barrier to box.  

The run told, but she did finish only 3.9 lengths off the winner Queman on the day – a solid effort for a mare racing at the top level for the first time.  

She’s mixed her form here at Caulfield but was an impressive winner of a Stakes race third-up during the spring.  

The daughter of Rich Enuff is carrying only 2kg’s extra for her troubles, and with a handy strike rate under Blaike McDougall, I think we’ll see the pair settling much closer to the speed on this occasion.  

Race 5 - 2:30PM Quayclean Anniversary Vase (1600 METRES)
No. 1 Nugget

Nugget has found it tough to win over the last 12 months, but he does look to have a bit on these in terms of class. 

I thought Ciaron Maher’s seven-year-old would have given Mr Brightside more of a run for his money in the Futurity a couple of weeks ago, but it wasn’t to be with the old boy only making up ground when the race had basically been run and won.  

Still, he was seen doing his best work through the line, and I do think you have to respect his second-up record as he gets out to his preferred trip.  

With the Doncaster likely in his sights, I think this looks the perfect race for him to gain some confidence back a level with Mark Zahra retaining the ride.  

Race 6 - 3:05PM Rightsize 365 Redoute's Choice Stakes (1100 METRES)
No. 1 Sky Cap

Keen to take on the favourite Bold Bastille given he’s back out to 1100m and unlikely to find the tempo nearly as suitable as he did last start at Flemington in a Stakes race.  

Backing against a short-priced favourite with a colt that is yet to win his maiden is risky, but I do have a big opinion of Sky Cap third-up coming off a super honest run at The Valley a fortnight ago.  

The son of Capitalist did everything but win for trainer Annabel Neasham, stoking up along the outside where she was denied in her final few strides by a smart filly on debut.  

We know the stable is flying right now and I do think the wide gate might just aid her to get back in the run and save something for home this time.  

Dropping back in trip with Jye McNeil taking over, I think he appeals at a likable price.  

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Race 7 - 3:40PM Catanach's 150 Years The Mystic Journey (1200 METRES)
No. 11 Peace Treaty, No. 3 Seonee

Seonee has each-way appeal in an open race on return.  

Patrick Payne’s mare can take a start or two to warm into her prep, but she does go well over 1200m having cashed a cheque in all three attempts. 

Ignore her trials as she’s typically mixed her results leading into her preps, but I do love the fact she has likable form around Amelia’s Jewel and back-to-back Group 1 winner Pride Of Jenni dating back to the spring.  

Jake Noonan has a bit of a feel for her, and given her class, I think she’ll be very hard to hold out if she’d afforded a well-timed run off the speed.  

Peace Treaty also has big claims off a break. Her form late last year makes for easy reading, and it’s just as hard to ignore her all the way win at the jump outs last week where she was basically off and gone from the jump.  

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Race 8 - 4:15PM The Sharp EIT All-Star Mile (1600 METRES)
No. 9 Ayrton

Mr Brightside is in a class all on his own, making him almost impossible to back against as he looks to defend his title. 

The value could lie with Ayrton, a horse that has been difficult to follow but nonetheless, one that looks ready to peak with a stack of fitness on his side. 

The six-year-old son of Iffraaj is 0-3 at Group 1 level, but I thought he found the line nicely for third over the mile in the Blamey Stakes a fortnight ago where he was forced to shift off the fence in the final stages.  

He loves it here at Caulfield and is drawn to get a clearer run in transit this time from a soft gate. If he’s ridden close enough to the speed, he could run top three.  

Race 9 - 4:55PM Xtreme Freight Country Mile Series Final (1600 METRES)
No. 1 Sir Atlas

Sir Atlas has been going great guns during his short time at the races for Lindsey Smith.  

His win two weeks ago at Terang was a real eye-catcher, conceding a massive start before finding something extra at the 200m mark to surge into the clear and win well.  

He’s only two starts into his prep, so you have to think there’s more of that to come, even if this is a tougher assignment.  

That said, he was only beaten just over a length here at Caulfield last June, and proven carrying big weight, I think he only runs well again.  

Race 10 - 5:35PM Sportsbet Bel Esprit Stakes (1200 METRES)
No. 10 Grand Impact

Keen to see Grand Impact back at the races for his fifth start.  

This impressive four-year-old entire for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr was enormous across the winter and spring last year, winning his first three starts before coming undone at Group 1 level where he was clearly out of his depth in the Coolmore beaten over five lengths.  

We haven’t seen him since, but he’s trialled nicely and really looked well composed during a couple of recent jump outs.  

It’s a shame about the gate, but with early speed to burn, he should land close to the front and take catching.