Sandown full racing tips & quaddie tips | Saturday, February 11

Race 1:BM78 Handicap (2400m)

We were with the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Wahine Toa in the opening event on Australia Day and we’re happy to butter up once again on Saturday. The six-year-old mare was a dominant winner on that day at this track and trip following a perfect steer from Matthew Cartwright who sticks on board. The six-year-old marew comes up against a similar field to what she beat last time, with the addition of So Unusual, the progressive stayer who got the better of Wahine Toa by a neck when they met at this track and trip two starts back on January 7. With the benefit or race fitness under a belt and the fact she is yet to finish outside of the top two in all five starts this time in, we are more than willing to take the $8.50 on offer for Wahine Toa, which is double the price of race favourite So Unusal.

• 7
  

  WAHINE TOA

• 6
  

  SO UNUSUAL

• 13
  

  PRINCETON AWARD

• 5
  

  PRINCE ZIGGY

Race 2:Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m)

The first of the black-type events on Saturday is the Group 2 Autumn Stakes and at a big price, we are happy to be with the Mike Moroney-trained Japanese Emperor. Not many horses can win the way he did on debut at the Sandown Lakeside 1200m on August 24, where he was held up for a run until the final 200m on a Heavy 9, before sprouting wings late and going on to win by two-lengths in arrogant fashion. We’re happy to rule a line through his near 20-length defeat in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude where Aft Cabin simply smashed his rivals in torrential rain in a race where it was impossible to see more than five metres in front of you if you were at the rear. Japanese Emperor is set to go around on top of the ground for the first time in his career and in a race where a few of these are looking for 2000m+, we’re happy to take the risk that he isn’t just a mudlark and considering he is already proven first-up at a sprinting trip, he looks a great each-way play in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes.

• 9
  

  JAPANESE EMPEROR

• 4
  

  PERICLES

• 3
  

  THE FORTUNE TELLER

• 5
  

  AMENABLE

Race 3: Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m)

One of our better bets of the day comes up in the Blue Diamond Prelude for the boys when the James Cummings-trained Barber returns to the track. The two-year-old colt could not have been any more impressive when claiming the Kirkham Plate on debut before thundering home to claim the Golden Gift at Rosehill after making a mess of the start before heading to the paddock. He trialled in arrogant fashion at Hawkesbury on January 24 to suggest he is raring to go first-up and despite this being his first start the ‘Melbourne Way’, Barber simply looks to be a special horse going places. Jamie Kah from barrier seven should look to have this bloke settled midfield with cover and armed with a blistering turn of foot, Barber should appreciate the genuine tempo that is expected and cut down his rivals to signal his intent for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes in two weeks’ time.

• 1
  

  BARBER

• 3
  

  BRAVE HALO

• 4
  

  CORNICHE

• 2
  

  LITTLE BROSE

Race 4: Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (1100m)

From the boys to the girls in the second of the Blue Diamond Preludes, where we will be hoping the Chris Waller-trained Cigar Flick can get the better of race favourite and Blue Diamond favourite Charm Stone. Waller’s filly finished three-lengths off Inglis Millennium favourite Learning To Fly in the Group 3 Widden Stakes last time out and with race fitness on her side compared to her main market rival, looks a great bet in this. Barrier 15 is offset by the fact she is a get back and run on horse and with plenty of early pacesetters engaged in the Fillies Prelude, the race looks perfectly set up for her to charge down the heart of the track. Damian Lane hops on board which is a huge plus and considering she may be stalking Charm Stone wherever she goes, we’re hoping the benefit of race fitness is more than good enough for Cigar Flick,

• 8
  

  CIGAR FLICK

• 1
  

  CHARM STONE

• 2
  

  DE SONIC BOOM

• 4
  

  REMEDIES

Race 5:Kevin Hayes Stakes (1100m)

No result would really shock in the Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes and online betting sites reflect that, with them marking the race as $7 the field. With that being said, the way the Michael Freedman-trained Queen Of The Ball progressed last campaign, suggests she is filly to follow this campaign and looks hard to beat first-up. She was perfectly rated out in front to win the Group 3 Scarborough Stakes over 1200m second-up and considering she tasted defeat to subsequent Group 1 winners like Zougotcha, Paulele and In Secret last campaign, it is form that leaps out at us for Saturday’s race. Barrier 12 is offset by the fact she loves to lead in her races and with Blake Shinn on board, we know she will get every conceivable chance out in front.

• 2
  

  QUEEN OF THE BALL

• 4
  

  AITCH TWO OH

• 9
  

  SHE DANCES

• 13
  

  DUSSE

Race 6:Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m)

We have the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes down to a race in two in our quaddie, but a clear on top selection and our best bet of the day, Uncommon James looks perfectly placed first=up from a six-month injury layoff. The Steven O’Dea & Mathew Hoysted-trained Queensland has put together five straight wins since his debut second and his win at Caulfield in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes on August 13 was simply breathtaking. He had a fairly comfortable Deagon trial win on January 24 in the lead up to this and with Damian Lane sticking on board, he looks like the one they have to beat. From barrier six, he looks set to gain a cozy run in transit and outside of any bad luck in the home straight, Uncommon James should prove a touch too sharp for Chain of Lightning and the rest of his rivals.

• 5
  

  UNCOMMON JAMES

• 6
  

  CHAIN OF LIGHTNING

• 4
  

  KEMALPASA

• 9
  

  TRIPLE MISSILE

Race 7:Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m)

The Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes is the first Group 1 on the Australian racing calendar each year and despite only a field of 10 going around, this year’s race is littered with quality which includes seven previous Group 1 winners.

Jacquinot and I’m Thunderstruck dominate the market, but can horses like Gentleman Roy, Tuvalu and Nugget further stamp their claims as horses to follow in the autumn.

Click here for our full preview of the 2023 Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes.

Race 8:Group 3 TS Carlyon Cup (1600m)

The Group 3 TS Carlyon Cup sees the return of some of Melbourne’s best stayers, but with them wanting further and lacking race fitness, it is hard to knock the chances of the Peter Moody-trained Pounding. The four-year-old gelding has been low-flying in recent times when saluting at Moonee Valley last start and Flemington the start prior. She managed to get the better of race favourite Corner Pocket when they met on January 21 and despite his rival dropping in weight, Pounding looks set to bring a third straight win. From barrier 15, Jamie Kah will need an ounce of luck to not get caught wide the trip, but if she can find cover, Pounding should have a nice sit on the leaders and with a nice turn of foot should prove mightily hard to hold out in the penultimate race on the card.

• 12
  

  POUNDING

• 5
  

  CORNER POCKET

• 6
  

  SUNSHINE RISING

• 13
  

  KEATS

Race 9:BM84 Handicap (1400m)

Races do not come much harder than the final race on the Sandown card, with it being $7 the field for this BM84 event over 1400m. Despite not being seen at the races since June 25, the Archie Alexander-trained Eagles Crag gets back to a firmer ground for the first time in a while and considering he has won three and placed on another occasion from five starts on ‘Good’ tracks, he is one we are happy to take a double figure quote about. He has a standout form reference when previously first-up when running to within 1.5-lengths off subsequent Group 1 winner Mr Brightside. It may be a throw at the stumps, but if Eagles Crag can produce his best first-up on a firm deck, he should just be winning.

• 11
  

  EAGLES CRAG

• 1
  

  SAVANNAH CLOUD

• 13
  

  BLOW IN

• 10
  

  NETANYAHU