| What | Stakes Day 2021 |
| Where | Flemington Racecourse – 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031 |
| When | Saturday, November 6, 2021 |
| First Race | 12:40pm AEDT |
| Feature Race | Darley Sprint Classic – Race 6 |
| Watch Live | |
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Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
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A bumper nine-part card is scheduled at Flemington on Saturday afternoon for Stakes Day to help bring down the curtain on the 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival. HorseBetting’s Victorian horse racing analyst presents his race-by-race preview, best bets and free quaddie numbers for the meeting, which is scheduled to start at 12:40pm AEDT.
Race 1: BM90 Hcp (1600m)
We do not need to wait too long for our best bet of the day on Saturday, with the Robert Hickmott-trained Hosier stepping out over 1600m in the opener. During his initial Australian campaign, the five-year-old son of Camelot managed to string together four wins from as many starts, and he looks well placed to build on those efforts here. We last saw him compete over the Flemington 2000m when nosing out the smart Tooradin, who has since been competitive in tougher races than what Hosier resumes in. He draws barrier six on Saturday, and with no known early speed in the race, we expect Jye McNeil will get an uncontested lead out in front. With 55.5kg on his back and only 1.5kg off the minimum, Hosier should prove too hard to run down.
Selections: 5-7-6-3
Race 2: Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m)
The 2021 Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes may be short on numbers, but it certainly is not short on quality. Despite former VRC Derby winner Warning being the natural class in the race, we are sticking with Wentwood after his win in the Bendigo Cup. The Maddy Raymond-trained son of Pour Moi franked the proven Coongy Cup form when narrowly winning the feature at Bendigo on October 27 and looks ready to go on with it here. He already has a win at the track and distance, and with form behind subsequent Melbourne Cup fourth-place finisher Floating Artist already this campaign, Wentwood is the one we want to be with.
Selections: 5-3-1-4
Race 3: Grand Handicap (2000m)
Tom Dabernig has not been training by himself for too long since leaving Lindsay Park, but we expect to see him claim another Flemington winner when Lunatic Fringe steps out over 2000m. He has strung together three straight wins in his career, including a gritty win when first-up from a spell at Warrnambool on October 14. He gets back to 2000m, a distance he claimed a 3.25-length victory at earlier in the year, and if he brings his best to Flemington on Saturday, the $10 on offer looks perfect value.
Selections: 11-6-5-13
Race 4: Springtime Stakes (1400m)
The Listed Springtime Stakes is next up over 1400m and we are hoping the Patrick Payne-trained Jimmy The Bear can take the step up from BM64 to Stakes level with great aplomb. Having been impressive on the eye for his two career wins from as many starts, he looks ready to take the step up in grade. From barrier four, we expect him to roll forward under Dean Yendall, who can rate a front-runner as well as any other jockey, and with plenty of the market rivals looking to get back and run on, we expect Jimmy The Bear will catch them napping and prove too hard to run down.
Selections: 9-2-6-7
Race 5:Matriarch Stakes (2000m)
The Group 2 Matriarch Stakes for the mares looks to be a cracking race as always, and we have settled on the Ben & JD Hayes-trained Mimi’s Award at a nice price. The SA Fillies Classic winner from earlier in the year has run in the top two in seven of her eight races and simply does not know how to run a poor race. She was an eye-catching second behind Saltpeter on October 16, while third-up from a spell and stepping up to 2000m looks ideal. She will get back in the second half of the field, but look for her to be absolutely flying home down the centre of the track.
Selections: 5-3-2-1
Race 6: Darley Sprint Classic (1200m)
The Darley Sprint Classic is a bit light on quality this year, but the $1.35 race favourite in Nature Strip is sure to make it an entertaining one nonetheless. He is the only runner in single figures, and with Manikato Stakes runner-up Bella Nipotina the main danger, this looks to be a genuine race in two.
Check who we have sided with in our runner-by-runner preview in the 2021 Darley Sprint Classic
Race 7:Chatham Stakes (1400m)
We’re happy to take on the race favourite, Chaillot, in the Chatham Stakes and have opted to side with the Nick Ryan-trained Dice Roll. Two runs back, he went within a nostril of claiming the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield on September 18, before putting in an absolute stinker second-up in the Toorak Handicap. He returns to the Flemington 1400m, a track and distance where he defeated Rubisaki and Odeon earlier in the year, and despite his poor run last time out, we can see him taking this. He’ll have a tactical advantage on Chaillot, with Dice Roll looking to go forward, and if he is anywhere near his best here, he should prove too hard to run down late.
Selections: 4-2-5-11
Race 8: Mackinnon Stakes (2000m)
The Mackinnon Stakes is the final Group 1 of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, and we are set to see the return of the great Zaaki over 2000m. Having been scratched the morning of the Cox Plate, James McDonald and Annabel Neasham will be hoping to get the $2.40 favourite another Group 1 win, whilst last week’s Empire Rose Stakes winner, Colette, looks to be the biggest danger at $5.50.
See our full preview and $100 betting strategy for the 2021 Mackinnon Stakes
Race 9:Grand Handicap (1100m)
We will be hoping we can round out the 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival on a high when the Symon Wilde-trained Duchess Of Dorset steps out over 1100m. Having won three of her four career starts, the progressive mare looks well placed to make an immediate impact at her first go down the Flemington straight. The daughter of Canford Cliffs was a dominant 2.25-length victor on October 27 at Bendigo, and we think she can do something similar on Saturday. Look for Craig Williams to take Duchess Of Dorset to the front, where she will prove very hard to catch.
Selections: 14-11-5-3
Saturday quaddie tips for Stakes Day 2021
| Flemington quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1 |
| Leg 2: | 2-4-5-11 |
| Leg 3: | 4-9 |
| Leg 4: | 11-14 |
| Investment: | $16 for 100% |