Welcome to Weekend Winners, your one-stop tipping sheet for a big Saturday of Group I racing.
SPRING CHAMPION STAKES TIP – ACE HIGH (Randwick - Race 7 No. 1) – We can’t go past the favourite in the Spring Champion Stakes on Saturday. He’s a horse that has improved as the distances have increased this preparation and he was dominant when beating them in the Gloaming Stakes a fortnight ago. We expect he’ll continue his improving trend up to 2000m and he should be afforded a lovely run from a favourable draw. Hard to beat.
STAR BET – VIRIDINE (Randwick - Race 6 No. 3) – If ever there’s been a horse that deserves crown of a Weekend Winners star it has to be this Godolphin three-year-old. He’s made three appearances in Weekend Winners and he’s three from three so why wouldn’t we be going again on Saturday. He looked big in condition first-up but proved much too good in the Heritage Stakes and while this is a stronger grade, we don’t think the quality of the race is any stronger. He’s drawn to get the gun run and is the horse they have to beat.
VALUE TIP – ECKSTEIN (Flemington – Race 8 No. 5) – This mare is big odds on Saturday. She kicked off the campaign when only beaten 3-1/2 lengths by Redzel in the weight-for-age The Shorts first-up and when you look at her career fresh record (5-0-1-0) that is more than a pass mark performance. Now look at her second-up record (2-2-0-0) – time to play. She should be able to get a lovely run from the draw on Saturday and she’s previously performed in some strong fillies and mares’ races. She’s well over the odds on Saturday at around $19.
DON’T TELL EVERYONE TIP – SUGAR SIZZLE ( Gold Coast Race 2 No. 12) – There's a quiet tip that this two-year-old filly, the first of the Sizzling's to race, has good ability and terrific potential. Making her debut on Saturday, she will have to be very good indeed to be winning given that she has drawn the outside gate. But this is her home track and if the whispers are right, the $21 being offered about her is certainly worth specking on an each-way basis. And with a name like Sugar Sizzle, she sounds like she will be suited to performing on the coast.
PRESIDENTS CUP TIP – SPIETH ( Flemington Race 4 No. 4) – Horses for courses equals Spieth down the Flemington straight. He’s had four runs at Flemington, all on the straight six track and his record should read three wins and a forget run not a win and two seconds as it does. Off the back of the US domination in the Presidents Cup last week, maybe the equine version of the world’s best golfer can have a change of luck. He was ok first-up and he’s been given plenty of time to prepare for this assignment. When you consider he’s a genuine Group I weight-for-age performer at this track, he’s well weighted and with his A-game, he’s the horse to beat.
REV HEADS TIP – ALL OUR ROADS ( Rosehill Race 5 No. 7) – Is there a more famous piece of asphalt in Australia than the Bathurst racetrack and the rev heads will be in their favourite couch come Sunday morning with the esky full of cans when one of Australia’s great races kicks off at 10am – the Bathurst 1000. This new addition to the Chris Waller stable is one of the more interesting runners at Rosehill on Saturday and we note with interest Kerrin McEvoy wanted to ride the horse but due to the weights and a lack of other riders, he took one for the team and will partner the stablemate Invinzabeel. This horse’s two trials have been good and he had a solid fresh record in New Zealand. He’s had a bit of support in early markets and looks a bit of value at around $13.
NEW MODEL TIP – PIRACY ( Randwick Race 9 No. 10) – This Godolphin three-year-old has come back a much-improved racehorse this prep, especially on the mental side. He showed from day one he had talent to burn – starting favourite in the Breeders Plate but his attitude was his biggest problem. This preparation but he’s matured impressively, now working with the jockey and the fruits of his new improved outlook has been three wins on the trot. No reason to expect his winning run will end on Saturday either, drawn favourably, the right jockey in the saddle and the three-year-olds have been figuring against the older horses with regular monotony over the opening months of the new season.
STATS TIP – NEW TIPPERRARY ( Flemington Race 9 No. 8) – There’s plenty to like about with this Joe Pride-trained galloper on Saturday. He resumed in the Group III Bill Ritchie Stakes and found the line strongly, carving out some impressive figures in the run home. If he follows his past trends, then he will jump out of the ground on Saturday. He goes like a bomb second-up (4-3-1-0) and last prep the second placing was behind subsequent Doncaster Mile winner It’s Somewhat in the Ajax Stakes - a similar performance to that in this will see him take some beating. He gets Damien Oliver in the saddle and only carries a half kilo over the minimum.
