2023 Oakleigh Plate betting strategy | Saturday, February 25

The time-honoured Group 1 Oakleigh Plate brings to an end the action out of Sandown on Saturday. A capacity field of 16 sprinters, including three Group 1 winners, will duke it out for the $750,000 on offer. Seven last-start victors help make up the field, with plenty of runners hoping to bring up their maiden Group 1 success.

2023 Oakleigh Plate odds

Online bookmakers are finding it hard to split a few of the runners and have installed Henry Dwyer’s Asfoora as the $5 market elect for the event. I Am Me ($7.50) and Chain Of Lightning ($8.50) are the only runners with a single figure quote. Showing just how open the market is, Uncommon James ($10), Star Patrol ($10), King Of Sparta ($11) and Lofty Strike ($11) are all genuine winning chances and as a punter, we getting plenty of value to find out if they are good enough.

2023 Oakleigh Plate speedmap

It will be the charge of the light brigade out in front as per the case in most Oakleigh Plate’s with the likes of Lombardo, Asfoora, I Am Me, Star Patrol and Zoustyle all hoping to hold a prominent spot. Look for Uncommon James, Chain Of Lightning and Shooting For Gold to settle just off the pace, whilst Lofty Strike and Masked Crusader will be out towards the rear of the home and flashing home.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2023 Oakleigh Plate.

Oakleigh Plate preview & form

It is simply too hard to go past Lofty Strike on the back of his breathtaking win in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes on February 11. Julius Sandhu’s three-year-old colt got the better of the likes of Uncommon James, Chain Of Lightning and Marine One on that day when sprinting the better on the back of a hot tempo and saluting in dominant fashion. He was only getting warm late on that occasion, so second-up at the same track and trip should be no issue once again. Often in an Oakleigh Plate the race is set up for a backmarker to flash home and with plenty of speed engaged, the race looks perfectly set up for Craig Newitt to have this bloke strike down the heart of the track once again.

READ: Newitt chirpy about Lofty Strike ahead of Oakleigh Plate

It was a tough watch for Chain Of Lightning followers in the Rubiton Stakes, with Peter Moody’s mare struggling for clear air until it was all too late. A Case could be made that the four-year-old mare would have got the better of Lofty Strike on that day with even luck, and we expect to see her give Lofty Strike a run for his money this time around. Her draw of barrier two is a bit sticky, especially if leaders fall back into her lap again, but if Craig Williams can have her out of trouble before the home bend, her turn of foot and will to win is genuinely Group 1 level. With six wins from nine starts, there is an easy case that could be made for her 10th start to be a Group 1 winning one.

You could make a case for five or six more runners in the Oakleigh Plate, but at the price, it is simply too hard to pass up what is on offer for Lofty Strike and perhaps a quinella with Chain Of Lightning should set the evening up perfectly.

2023 Oakleigh Plate selections & best bets

• 10

  LOFTY STRIKE

• 11

  CHAIN OF LIGHTNING

• 9

  ASFOORA

• 8

  UNCOMMON JAMES

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