2022 Champions Sprint preview & best bets | Saturday, November 5

The Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) has attracted a strong field of 15 of the country’s best sprinters for the weight-for-age event down the famous ‘Flemington six’ on Saturday afternoon.

Nature Strip ($2.20) and Giga Kick ($6) dominate the market with online bookmakers, with ‘The Strip’ looking to turn the tables on Giga Kick from when they clashed in The Everest. Last-start Manikato Stakes victor Bella Nipotina ($7.50) is the only other sprinter given a chance.

The speed map looks to be a simple one. Nature Strip and Front Page will be setting the pace out in front, with Rothfire and The Astrologist not far away throughout. The likes of The Inferno, September Run and Masked Crusader will be the ones looking to swoop from the rear of the field.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2022 Champions Sprint.

Nature Strip is the best sprinter in the world and he returns to one of his favourite tracks, where he boasts six wins and two seconds from nine starts down the straight. He forced to travel three wide with no cover in The Everest last time out when swamped inside the final 100m by the likes of Giga Kick and Private Eye. However, his win the start prior in the Group 2 Shorts suggested he is still the big dog at the table and with a near bomb-proof third-up record (9: 7-0-0), Nature Strip looks a clear on top selection in the Champions Sprint. Look for James McDonald to have him cruising out in front and when asked for an effort, we expect Nature Strip to have too much left in reserve.

Giga Kick has not even begun to reach his ceiling, which is scary considering he has already conquered The Everest. The Clayton Douglas-trained three-year-old is unbeaten through five runs and handled the step up in class with great aplomb and who is to say he cannot ruin the Nature Strip party once again? He’ll have a camp on the Champion sprinter throughout and with a 5kg weight advantage on The Strip once again, it shapes up as a two-horse affair. He has two wins to his name down the Flemington straight and if there is any chink in the Nature Strip armour, then it will be Giga Kick who takes advantage.

Roch ‘N’ Horse is a genuine Flemington specialist and will be looking to put in a repeat performance of his Newmarket Handicap success where he saluted at a big price. Bella Nipotina deadset smashed her rivals in the Manikato when putting close to five-lengths on her rivals at Moonee Valley and can only be respected based on recent performances.

2022 Champions Sprint selections & best bets

• 1

  NATURE STRIP

• 14

  GIGA KICK

• 11

  ROCH ‘N’ HORSE

• 9

  BELLA NIPOTINA

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