Daily Racing Tips – Melbourne Cup Day Special

Price Tag was one of the runs of the race on debut in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes a few weeks ago, bolting home for third down the outside with a powerful turn of foot.  

A few things went wrong in the run for the Freedman-trained filly by Zoustar, who was slowly away at the start and forced to check across heels around the 400m mark. 

She hit top gear quite impressively over the final 100m though, rattling off some of the fastest final 200m sectionals of the day.  

If she jumps on time and can find even luck in running from the wide gate, she’ll be a big threat in the finish again in the 2024 Maribyrnong Plate.

Opening Address should race forward and give a mighty sight up on the speed. 

This boy is going around on a quick 10-day turnaround after finishing second to Red Aces in the Moonee Valley Vase on Cox Plate Day, a brave run that saw him settle second and stoke up heading into the turn to take the lead.  

He brushed Red Aces at the 250m mark, a move that likely cost him some momentum when he was faced with a late challenge over his final few strides. 

Even so, he’s clearly pulled up well, while the booking of James McDonald tells you all you need to know about Liam Howley’s confidence. Providing that run hasn’t spent too much petrol, he’ll take a power of beating again. 

Manolo Bling has been kept on ice for this race with about five weeks between runs.  

The Freedman-trained filly was much-improved last start at Sandown back over 1000m, running on beautifully along the rail to concede in a head-bob to the fast-finishing Adolfito. 

She finished off strongly for second and meets that same horse 2kg better off at the weights, while it’s worth keeping in mind she also copped a bit of a bump that day around the 400m mark.  

Kept fresh with a jumpout between starts, she might be ready to peak now with the in-form Ben Melham taking over. 

Land Legend’s resume just about speaks for itself heading into this year’s Melbourne Cup.  

Already a Group 1 winner having won The Metropolitan two back by a small margin over Zardozi, the French stayer brings the always likable Caulfield Cup form into his first start over 3200m, running on well down the outside a couple of weeks ago to finish a distant third to Duke De Sessa.  

There was a good gap between the first two and the rest of the field in The Metrop, while I love the fact he had a gallop at Flemington during the week in front of a crowd to get him ready.  

Chris Waller knows a thing or two about training the winner of this race, and with three runs under his belt now, his best might bet yet to come.