It’s Grand Final day for punters on Saturday at Flemington as the Melbourne Cup Carnival gets underway.
Every race on the card is black type including four Group 1 races for us to dissect.
Our full 2021 Victoria Derby Day Preview can be found below.
Preview brought to you by Ladbrokes. Learn more about Ladbrokes HERE.
Race 1 – 12:20pm – Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes, (1600m)
Fangirl is a very progressive filly who has been really well placed in this race in my opinion.
The Chris Waller trained filly won her maiden by over five lengths at Goulburn before she took out a Listed race at Randwick last time out.
A step up in distance looks ideal at this stage in her prep and she can start our day on a winning note.
Race 2 – 1:00pm – Group 3 Hotham Stakes, (2500m)
The 2021 Newcastle Cup winner Great House ran out of his skin in the Caulfield Cup when finishing with 5.6 lengths of Incentivise.
Furthermore, the lightly raced five year old gelding has been placed in nine of his 14 career race starts and is a very progressive horse with plenty of upside.
He looks well placed in this race.
Race 3 – 1:40pm – Group 2 Wakeful Stakes, (2000m)
El Patroness comes into the Wakeful Stakes with the best form line of any horse in the race and has already proven she can run 2000m.
She beat the boys, including Gunstock who is right in the market in the Derby this afternoon, in the Super Impose at this track two back.
That horse then turned the tables in the Caulfield Classic she will appreciate competing against her own sex in this contest.
The Group 1 Thousand Guineas winner Yearning was ultra impressive when winning that race last start and I loved the way she stepped through her gears.
It suggests that the 2000m will not be a problem for the daughter of Snitzel.
Race 4 – 2:20pm – Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes, (1200m)
The Peter Moody trained Oxley Road is one of the most progressive horses on the card at Flemington on Saturday and he proved his class when beating Malkovich in the Caulfield Sprint last start.
He knuckled down to the task well when he was asked for an effort to score by half a length and they beat the rest of the field by a further two lengths ahead of his shot in the race formerly known as the Salinger Stakes.
Race 5 – 3:00pm – Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes, (1600m)
Having won back to back Group 1 races during the QLD winter carnival Tofane has been very good without winning in her last three starts at the highest level.
She was beaten just over a length by the star of the spring Incentivise in the Mayke Diva and was cramped for room at a vital stage when beaten by I’m Thunderstruck in the Toorak last start.
As arguably the best mare in the country, she profiles perfectly for this race.
I have her marked a lot shorter than her current price in the Empire Rose Stakes.
Race 6 – 3:45pm – Group 1 Victoria Derby, (2500m)
I’ve found a few at a price in the feature race of the afternoon and they all featured last weekend at The Valley behind Forgot You.
Jungle Magnate was for a big effort from the back of the field when rounding the tight turn at The Valley and I loved the way he ran right through the line.
Linda Meech tried to pinch the Vase when she asked Commander Harry for a long, sustained run well out from home and although he was taking some short strides late, it was a very credible effort and he is overs.
Spirit Of Gaylard was another that was caught napping at the tail of the field in that race but he did an incredible job to get within 2.6 lengths considering he had an impeded run at the top of the straight.
He is the fourth emergency but can run a race if he gets a start in this year’s Victoria Derby field.
Race 7 – 4:30pm – Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, (1200m)
This is always an excellent betting race and this year’s edition of the Coolmore Stud Stakes is no exception.
The only blemishes on In The Congo’s prep was an unlucky second in the Rosebud first up and a narrow defeat to Anamoe in the Run To The Rose.
He avenged both those second place finishes when beating Paulele in the San Domenico and then Anamoe in the Golden Rose.
The son of Snitzel has always looked a genuine sprinter to my eye and I love the fact that the blinkers will be added for the first time.
Race 8 – 5:10pm – Group 1 Kennady Cantala, (1600m)
Superstorm was jumping out of the ground late in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield late in the race and although he will have a tricky gate to contend with, he represents good each way value at his current price in the Kennedy Cantala.
The OTI team has decided to avoid the mares in the Empire Rose and she gets in with just 52kg in this race.
The lightly raced five year old mare has managed five wins from nine career starts and she will only improve on her brilliant first up win at Sandown four weeks ago.
Race 9 – 5:50pm – Group 3 Furphy Sprint, (1100m)
It was hard not to be super impressed by Minhaaj when she resumed with an excellent win in the Group 3 Nivision at Randwick.
The four year old mare was off to stud before connections decided to continue her racing career when she was thriving in the paddock.
She drawn perfectly in barrier four to get a nice run in transit with James McDonald steering.