Flemington racing tips & quaddie picks | All Star Mile Day | 19/3

Race 1: Grand Handicap Classic (2500m)

We kick off All Star Mile Day with a 2500m event where we are hoping the Dan O’Sullivan-trained Uniquelycan bring up a third win in succession. Having gotten the better of race favourite French Moon two starts back, the grey mare now meets her rival once again with an 8kg weight advantage following Alana Kelly’s 2kg claim. With half of the field known to be speed influencers in staying events, the race looks set up for Uniquely to settle towards the rear of the field and fly down the centre of the Flemington straight and pounce on some potentially vulnerable leaders. We are more than happy to take the $8 on offer with online bookmakers.

• 6

  UNIQUELY

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 2

  FRENCH MOON

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 8

  OH SO FAR

  Odds at Bet365

• 1

  THROUGH IRISH EYES

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 2: VOBIS Gold Comet (1000m)

Saturday marks the return of the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr-trained Lombardo who was last seen finishing midfield in a Manikato Stakes. The five-year-old gelding showed plenty of promise last campaign when stringing together three wins in a row before the Manikato and looks to be a sprinter on the rise in Victoria. With the likes of Sirius Suspect and Miss Albania set to make this a genuine sprint over the 1000m, we expect Patrick Moloney to have Lombardo settled on their heels and inside the final 200m, he should prove too classy for this lot. The slight query is he is yet to hit the frame at Flemington in two starts, but he looks to be a different sprinter at this stage of his career.

• 3

  LOMBARDO

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 7

  MISS ALBANIA

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 5

  SWORD OF MERCY

  Odds at Bet365

• 1

  EXPRESS PASS

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 3: The Mystic Journey (2000m)

It doesn’t take much courage to tip Yonce as our best of the day, but the way she continually raises the bar suggests she is a Group 1 mare in the making. The Proisir mare has five wins from as many starts and despite seemingly being in a tricky spot on the rails over 1600m last time out, she quickened nicely and put the in-form Gentleman Roy away with relative ease. The step up to 2000m here looks ideal and despite drawing barrier two, we expect John Allen to have her settled in the second half of the field where she build through the gears approaching the home turn. Yonce’s turn of foot is electric and if she is anywhere near what she has produced this campaign, then the $1.75 looks a steal from Sportsbet on her way to a run in the Coolmore Legacy Stakes on April 9.

• 1

  YONCE

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 6

  GROOVY KINDA LOVE

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 8

  EL PATRONESS

  Odds at Bet365

• 2

  UNIQUE ARTIST

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 4: VOBIS Gold Reef (1600m)

The way the John Sadler-trained True Grit broke its maiden at Pakenham last time out suggests he is one to follow moving forward, starting with Saturday’s VOBIS Gold Reef. Having not been beaten too far by a couple of smart ones in his first two starts, the Sebring gelding managed to cover ground last time out, fend off a challenge and grinded out a smart win late on. He’ll be giving his rivals a start in this, but considering he has a nice turn of foot and some nice form lines coming into this, we’re happy to be with True Grit a double-figure quote.

• 6

  TRUE GRIT

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 4

  POUNDING

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 2

  TEEWATERS

  Odds at Bet365

• 1

  DAILY BUGLE

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 5: Country Mile Series Final (1600m)

The Country Mile Series Final is arguably the toughest race to find a winner on the card, but the way the Grahame Begg-trained Gracias Amigo won at Sandown suggests he will take some beating on Saturday. Having been held up for a run when straightening, the bay gelding quickened nicely and put his rivals away with relative ease. He will need a bit of luck from barrier 14, but with a natural racing pattern that sees him get back and run on, he should be settling in the second half of the field. Look for Jordan Childs to have him moving with 600m to go and if he is anywhere near his best, then Gracias Amigo looks a great bet at $15 with Sportsbet.

• 1

  GRACIAS AMIGO

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 2

  PRINCE OF HELENA

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 8

  VASMEE

  Odds at Bet365

• 3

  BELTORO

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 6: All Star Mile (1600m)

The fourth edition of the All Star Mile looks to be the best field to have assembled in the short history of the race with 10 individual Group 1 winners going around. Can Zaaki build on his impressive reputation? Will Inspirational Girl or I’m Thunderstruck shine brightest in the richest mile race on turf? It is set to be an elite race on Saturday.

Click here for our free runner-by-runner preview of the 2022 All Star Mile

Race 7: The Mugatoo (1600m)

If the markets for The Mugatoo is anything to go by, then it looks to be a race in two, between Bermadez and Gentleman Roy. We tend to agree with that thought process and expect to see the Ben & JD Hayes-trained Gentleman Roy return to the winner’s stall. The So You Think gelding ran into the red hot Yonce last time out at this track and distance, but there doesn’t look to be that type of quality in this. Jye McNeil should look to have him settled outside the natural leader Holbein throughout and with race fitness, tactical advantage on Bermadez and a genuine will to win, Gentleman Roy looks the bet in this.

• 10

  GENTLEMAN ROY

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 9

  BERMADEZ

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 4

  CHERRY TORTONI

  Odds at Bet365

• 3

  MANDELA EFFECT

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 8: The Regal Power (2000m)

We were with the Patrick Payne-trained Defibrillate when he resumed from a spell to salute in the Mornington Cup Prelude at a nice price when getting the better of Desert Icon. He meets his rival once again and despite a 1kg weight differential from when they last met, Defibrillate looked to have plenty left in the tank when winning by 1.25 lengths. With two wins and a runner-up effort from three second-up runs, he clearly improves with the run under his belt and is arguably the class runner in The Regal Power on Saturday. He jumps from barrier four once again and with even luck, he should be bringing up consecutive wins against a similar field.

• 1

  DEFIBRILLATE

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 8

  DESERT ICON

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 11

  EMISSARY

  Odds at Bet365

• 6

  GRANDSLAM

  Odds at Palmerbet

Race 9: Grand Handicap Sprint (1200m)

We will be looking to round out All Star Mile Day with the Simon Zahra-trained Zac De Boss who managed to lead all the way in what looks to be a strong form reference race at Sandown on February 23. The race has already produced three subsequent race winners and being up on speed out wide down the Flemington straight has had its perks in recent weeks. He looks to be the natural race leader and under a well-rated steer from Damien Thornton, Zac De Boss looks hard to run down in the last race of the day. Quoted as an $8 price with Ladbrokes, he looks great value in the last.

• 9

  ZAC DE BOSS

  Odds at Sportsbet

• 15

  GRINZINGER PRINCE

  Odds at Ladbrokes

• 4

  BEEHUNTER

  Odds at Bet365

• 3

  ASHFORD STREET

  Odds at Palmerbet