| What | Flemington Races |
| Where | Flemington Racecourse: 448 Epsom Rd., Flemington VIC 3031 |
| When | Saturday, January 13, 2024 |
| First Race | 12:13pm AEDT |
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Feature racing returns to Flemington Racecourse on Saturday afternoon, where the Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m) headlines proceedings on a bumper 10-race card. Perfect weather for racing is forecast on Saturday, while warm and drying conditions in the lead-up to the meeting should see the track start as a Good 4, despite the Soft 5 rating at the time of acceptances. The rail comes out 4 metres the entire circuit, with action from HQ getting underway at 12:13pm AEDT.
Standish Handicap: The Astrologist
Despite being a touch disappointing first-up from his UK sojourn, The Astrologist looks set to bounce back to form in the Group 3 Standish Handicap. The Zoustar gelding was defeated by 4.35 lengths to Sghirripa, whom he meets again on Saturday, but with the run under his belt, we’re anticipating The Astrologist will exert his class in Flemington’s feature. He returns to the Flemington 1200m for the first time since finishing 6th in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) last autumn, and considering he was just a length off I Wish I Win on that day, we know the Flemington straight can bring out the best in him. With some of his best performances coming down the Flemington straight (2nd in the 2022 Newmarket Handicap), we’re happy to take the price on offer to see if The Astrologist can turn the tables on his rivals on Saturday.
Standish Handicap
Race 8: 
#1: The Astrologist (3)
7yo Gelding | T: Leon & Troy Corstens | J: Damian Lane (59kg)
+550 with Playup
Best Bet at Flemington: Miracle Spin
Matthew Smith’s Miracle Spin produced a thunderous finish to win in style at Randwick on December 30, and we think he can transfer that form to Melbourne. Saturday will be his first run the Melbourne way under raceday conditions, and in what looks to be a relatively weak BM84 affair, he looks well-placed. The five-year-old gelding does tend to settle towards the rear of the field in his races and should get a genuinely run 1600m to aid his chances. Damian Lane will look to gain a cart into the race at the top of the straight, and if Miracle Spin can replicate his finishing burst from his Randwick triumph, it should be more than good enough to salute here.
Best Bet
Race 9: 
#3 Miracle Spin (8)
5-year-old Gelding | T: Matthew Smith | J: Damian Lane (59kg)
+110 with Picklebet
Next Best at Flemington: Accending
Accending returns to the Flemington 1000m, having finished second behind Celestial Storm on December 20. Prior to that, the Street Boss filly oozed plenty of class when destroying her maiden rivals at Traralgon, and with the Flemington experience under her belt, she can bounce back to the winner’s stall on Saturday. Matthew Cartwright will look to take up the running aboard his filly, and in a race where there looks to be only one or two other key speed influences, Accending should receive a pretty cheap lead. Look for Cartwright to have everyone chasing 400 metres out, with Accending proving too hard to run down.
Next Best
Race 4: 
#10 Accending (8)
3-year-old Filly | T: Jerome Hunter | J: Matthew Cartwright (54kg)
+380 with Neds
Best Value at Flemington: Regal Vow
Charlotte Littlefield’s Regal Vow is as consistent galloper as you could hope for, and with two smart victories at Geelong to begin this campaign, she deserves a crack at the metropolitan level. The four-year-old mare got the job done in Class 1 company first-up before benefiting from an economical ride to account for her BM64 rivals last time out. She has shown her tactical versatility, having settled towards the rear of the field and then taking a sit just off the speed. With that sort of ability, Jack Hill will have options from barrier eight, and if he rolls forward on the mare and can hold a position, Regal Vow looks to bring the right form into a race like this. As long as she handles the step up to BM78 company, Regal Vow can salute at a nice price with horse racing bookmakers.
Best Value
Race 6: 
#4 Regal Vow (8)
4-year-old Mare | T: Charlotte Littlefield | J: Jack Hill (57kg)
+700 with Neds
Saturday quaddie tips for Flemington
Flemington quadrella selections
Saturday, January 13, 2024
- 5-6-8-12-13
- 1-2-4
- 3-9
- 1-2-5-6-12
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