Another wet day at Flemington awaits on Saturday with some serious black-type racing on offer.
Finals Day features four Listed races, including the $200,000 Winter Championship Final contested over the mile and the Creswick Stakes between the sprinters.
The track is rated a Soft 7 at time of writing, and you can find our race-by-race tips at Headquarters here!
STARS OF DOM (4) gets a crack at Saturday grade still in search of her first win.
The daughter to Exceedance was the beaten favourite a few weeks ago Sandown, passed to fit post-race where she was also squeezed badly between a pair at the top of the straight.
Once clear, she ran on well to grab second and looked to have a bit left to give through the line. Back on another wet deck, she looks set to run a handy race third-up.
| 4. Stars Of Dom (4) J: Craig Williams 55kg 22 T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
STAR OF MACEDON (3) ticks most of the boxes here third-up in the Taj Rossi Final.
The Zoustar colt has found the cash in all three races he’s contested since debuting in late May and looks close to a win for John Symons and Sheila Laxon.
The form around Obambulate and Vivid Storm two back at Caulfield reads well, while he also made up a stack of ground here at Headquarters last time out in his first go over 1400m.
He has a tendency to blow the start, but if he’s away cleanly and settles in the first half of the field, he looks up to handling the mile with a stack of fitness now on his side.
| 3. Star Of Macedon (7) J: Dylan Dunn 55kg 233 T: J G Symons & S Laxon |
FANCIFY (1) might find this a tad easier after contesting the Listed Straight Six and the Gold Topaz at Swan Hill so far this prep.
Ciaron Maher’s mare bolted in late for second just over a month ago in the latter, overcoming a very wide barrier in the run home to finish within half a length of Cripps.
She’s had some awkward barriers to contend with so far but has drawn the rail this time with Harry Coffey hopping back in the saddle. Out to her pet trip now with good form to her name here at Flemington, she should run a nice race if she handles the extra weight.
| 1. Fancify (1) J: Harry Coffey 60kg 38×62 T: Ciaron Maher |
DECALOGUE (1) can win again for Ciaron Maher and connections.
This three-year-old son to Extreme Choice was enormous winning here over 2000m a couple of weeks ago, biding his time nicely mid-race along the rail, before switching up a gear over the final furlong to draw 2.25 lengths clear.
He’s shown an exceptional turn of foot during this recent three-race winning streak and only needs luck to go his way this time from a horror gate to go on with the job. If he can land closer to the speed this time, good luck running him down.
| 1. Decalogue (18) Scratched: | |||
DE BERGERAC (2) loves a wet track, as we were all reminded of a couple of weeks ago when he punched clear down the middle to go half a length clear ahead of Recommendation.
The form out of that race has been franked with the third placegetter Winnasedge going on to win at Caulfield last week, and he should be afforded another well-timed run under Daniel Stackhouse despite carrying an extra 4kg in the Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final.
A previously runner-up at Stakes level, this race looks well within his reach considering he was five weeks between runs last time out.
| 2. De Bergerac (7) J: Daniel Stackhouse 58.5kg 96221 T: Grahame Begg |
THE WESTERN FRONT (2) is a bit of a straight bat play in a tricky race to try and assess.
The Hayes-trained gelding was well-supported dropping right back to a similar distance here a few weeks ago, overcoming a very wide gate to stick on well for second after racing up on the speed.
He’d probably benefit from a more patient ride this time back closer to midfield, and from a softer gate this time, those tactics should see Daniel Stackhouse go close in the saddle.
| 2. The Western Front (6) J: Daniel Stackhouse 59kg 11612 T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
AL DUCA (3) should be hard to beat here with a bit more conditioning on his side.
He crossed and led under Craig Williams over the track and distance a couple of weeks ago off a two-month break, finding the front into the straight before going down narrowly in a blanket finish behind Seafall.
Willo will have less work to do this time having drawn barrier two and his ride is at no disadvantage on another wet track.
| 3. Al Duca (2) J: Craig Williams 57.5kg 21102 T: Clayton Douglas |
CHAINS OF LOVE (13) looks to have turned a corner now after winning a Highway race quite well at Randwick last time out.
The I Am Invincible filly was fast into stride, finding a stalking position early on before letting down with a big run to go a length clear.
She loved the wet track that day for the first time and was far from disgraced the start prior when 1.6 lengths off Earn To Burn in the Listed QLD Day Stakes.
This is tougher again up in grade, but if she’s around midfield early on and saved for the finish, Jamie Melham should have plenty to work with.
| 13. Chains Of Love (5) J: Jamie Melham 56kg 1×161 T: Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich |
CLEVOR TREVER (1) gets a shot in town now after a pretty decisive win at Sandown two weeks ago where he got the job done right on the line.
Extending his unbeaten streak to four, Patrick Payne’s colt dashed home strongly down the outside after settling midfield, showcasing another dominant turn of foot in his third run back.
He’ll carry top weight on Saturday for his trouble, but he appears incredibly well-placed to go on with it now in a race that doesn’t hold a great amount of depth.
| 1. Clevor Trever (11) J: Billy Egan 60kg 1×111 T: Patrick Payne |