Emerging stayers fight for golden ticket
Flemington, Listed The Andrew Ramsden, $400,000, 2800m
This race has been reinvigorated by the decision to make it a ballot-free qualifier for the G1 Melbourne Cup and there are certainly a handful of emerging stayers here who would be worthy of that honour.
G2 Adelaide Cup winner Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking) is chief among those having won the Morphettville feature at just his sixth start and having then run an excellent second at his most recent run at Flemington.
The horse who beat him last time was Steel Prince (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), a winner of his past four and placed first or second in his past ten starts. He does have a significant weight disadvantage to Surprise Baby in this race compared to last time.
Triple Tasmanian Cups winner Eastender (Tickets) can also contend based on his summer form while Transact (Dundeel {NZ}) was a track and distance winner two starts ago in the Listed VRC St Leger.
Blue Army tackles sprint
Flemington, Listed Hilton Nicholas Straight Six, $140,000, 1200m
Godolphin holds a strong hand in this race, with Haunted (Lonhro) looking to get back to the winner's list having been edged out by subsequent Group 1 winner Despatch (Written Tycoon) last time out
Stablemate Bandipur (Commands) does like Flemington, although beaten here last week over the 1000m. Divine Quality (Sepoy) loves the Flemington straight and drops back from a trio of defeats in Group 1 races, while Order of Command (Squamosa) also appreciates his home track and was a good winner at Caulfield last time out.
2YOs chase Futurity
Ellerslie, Listed Piazza D'Oro Auckland Futurity S. NZ$50,000, 1400m
Some quality 2-year-olds will be looking to put a stakes race on their resume here, including the impeccably-bred Avadane (NZ) (Savabeel), a sister to three stakes winners.
Avadane winning at Matamata
She was a narrow winner at Matamata last time but is capable of improvement. As is the colt that she beat that day, Long Jack (So You Think {NZ}), who was on debut there and is being aimed towards Group 1 targets in the spring.
Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) was third behind that pair at Matamata and is considered a leading chance in this race, while Quiz Kid (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) also looks capable.
