Spring Champion Stakes betting preview & tips | October 22, 2022

The Spring Champion Stakes will be the feature race this Saturday at Randwick as a field of 12 three-year-olds do battle over the 2000m. The $2 million race will be the grand final for many of these horses, but it can also be the perfect warmup for VRC Derby contenders.

The speed map for the 2022 edition of the Spring Champion Stakes could be interesting, due to the fact there is no natural leader engaged in the field for this year. With no out-and-out frontrunner, we could see She’s Extreme cross from her outside barrier, or even Elliptical and Promitto push forward from their inside barriers. Behind those possible leaders there will be the likes of Sharp N Smart, Matcha Latte and Renaissance Woman as some of the contenders look for positive positions from wide barriers. At the back of the field we should see Williamsburg, Manzoice and Owen County looking to swoop down the outside late.

The unlucky runner from the Caulfield Guineas, Elliptical, has opened as a $4 favourite with online bookmakers, with Williamsburg and She’s Extreme at $5.50 on the second line of betting. Behind those two runners, we have Sharp N Smart ($6.50) and Promitto ($7), followed by Renaissance Woman ($8.50) and Macha Latte ($12).

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2022 Spring Champion Stakes.

The very well named Sharp N Smart looks to be the horse to beat in the 2022 Spring Champion Stakes, coming off two strong wins this preparation over 1400m at Ruakaka and 1600m at Warwick Farm. Even though his last two wins have been by very slim margins both times, it is clear that this son of Redwood is looking for much further than the mile – especially after his most recent win, where he fought back over the last 50m to win the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes. Throughout his winter campaign in Australia, Graeme Rogerson mentioned that the VRC Derby over 2500m on October 29 could be on the cards for this talented three-year-old gelding, meaning that he should be ready to go for his first attempt over 2000m with the possibility to back up into a VRC Derby seven days later.

The Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained Williamsburg was very strong late in the Gloaming Stakes, running third by half a length behind Sharp N Smart and Macha Latte at his most recent start over 1600m. The one negative with Williamsburg is that he has a ‘get back and run on’ racing pattern which is sometimes his worst enemy if the leaders don’t inject any speed into the race. However, if the leaders overdo it and this three-year-old colt is within a few lengths of them at the top of the straight, he will be flying home late to stake his claim.

Elliptical will have a chance in this race, but considering he has drawn barrier one and may find trouble getting off the rail late, it looks to us that it could be another luckless run for this colt. Macha Latte was very good in the Gloaming Stakes last start but was beaten by Sharp N Smart while tiring on the line, giving us the impression that 2000m may not be a positive for this son of Maurice.

2022 Spring Champion Stakes selections & best bets

• 3

  SHARP N SMART

• 4

  WILLIAMSBURG

• 1

  ELLIPTICAL

• 5

  MACHA LATTE

More horse racing tips