Nine-time Group 1 winner Nature Strip ($2.10 on BossBet) returns to Flemington after a 16-week spell with jockey James McDonald confident he can rise to the occasion in Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m).
He’ll be up against notable sprinters like Coolangatta ($7), Marabi ($9) and I Wish I Win ($11), who also return from lengthy spells and genuine contenders like Roch ‘N’ Horse ($12) who beat Nature Strip in the Champions Stakes last Spring.
It’s also a stacked day of racing in NSW, with hot favourite Aft Cabin ($1.50 on BossBet) looking to make it three in a row and cement his name as one of Australia’s great runners, while King’s Gabit ($2.70) battles a small field in the Silver Slipper.
Rest assured there will be plenty of great racing to scratch your itch post-holiday break. Here are my picks for tomorrow.
Best Bet – Rosehill R4 #3 King’s Gambit ($2.70)
It’s hard to believe you can still back King’s Gambit at $2.70, who still looks the best two-year-old we’ve seen for some time. He was incredibly green last time out and still had the temerity to keep chasing down bold front-runner Red Resistance right through the line. Willing to gamble that he’s learnt a lot from that loss and is unlikely to face as daunting a task in the Silver Slipper, we’re confident King’s Gambit will remind everyone just how talented he is.
Best Each-Way – Rosehill R8 #2 Pier ($12)
New Zealand form is often overlooked, best seen last year when Roch ‘n’ Horse blew punters out of the water to take the Newmarket Handicap at $101. Still not convinced the three-year-olds across Australia and New Zealand are that good a group, which opens the door for Pier – the New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner – to shine at his first Australian start. Aft Cabin will be hard to beat but if any runner manages to do so, it will be Pier. Perhaps take the exacta with Aft Cabin on top of Pier.
Best Longshot – Flemington R9 #9 Sessions Road ($71)
Made ground from last at Sale after a decent effort behind On The Lead and Inundation fresh. He’s not going to get a soft track, on which he is most effective, but he looks to have drawn the right place with the race likely to develop on his side of the track. His only attempt at the course and distance he got fired up and dropped out but he’s likely to find the back of something this time and that makes him worthy of a small flutter at a ridiculous price.
Notable Jockey & Trainer Combo – Brett Prebble and Ciaron Maher/David Eustace
Brett Prebble has not been a jockey that the powerful Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable has called on often. In fact, going back to the start of the 2021-22 season, he’s only ridden for them four times for a win on subsequent Caulfield Cup hero Durston, two seconds (at 20-1 and 25-1) on Dr Drill and a third (at 16-1) on Kipps. That makes the booking of Prebble – now based in Sydney – for G2 Millie Fox Stakes contender Sonora even more interesting and, at 20-1, she is one that must be included in all exotics.
Head to BossBet to get in on the action. Happy punting folks.
