Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes betting guide, news and tips
THE Melbourne spring carnival always attracts great horses from all parts of the world, but 10 of the best local Australasian three-year-olds will do battle in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
The $500,000 sprint features one of the best fields ever assembled during the spring carnival which could leave punters having a hard time choosing their favourite.
The field is represented by winners of the Golden Slipper, Moir Stakes, Blue Diamond, Magic Millions 2YO, Blue Sapphire Stakes and the Golden Rose.
Those major races were won by five different Coolmore Stud Stakes entrants which will make this one of the most highly-anticipated sprints in Australian racing history.
Place your Coolmore Stud Stakes bet with CrownBet and if your horse finishes second or third you will get up to $50 back in bonus bets.
Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes field, barrier draw and odds
Since the final field market opened on Wednesday there has been solid specking for a few notable runners in the market.
Extreme Choice opened at $3.50 and has dropped to $3.40 with Star Turn the other well-backed runner into $4.20 after opening at $4.40.
Astern has drifted out to $3.70 after being quoted at $3.60 when markets opened with despised outsider and former New Zealand runner Manolo Blahniq dropping from $151 to $101.
1. Capitalist (7) – $10
2. Extreme Choice (3) – $3.40 at CrownBet.com.au
3. Astern (8) – $3.70
4. Flying Artie (1) – $11
5. Star Turn (4) – $4.20
6. Russian Revolution (10) – $9.50
7. Saracino (5) – $31
8. Archives (9) – $31
9. Derryn (2) – $26
10. Manolo Blahniq (6) – $101
Coolmore Stud Stakes betting guide and tips
1. Capitalist – $10
Trainer: Peter and Paul Snowden
Jockey: Blake Shinn
Form: 1112×43
Punters are getting a value price with Capitalist which hasn’t paid more than $8 since winning the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January. It paid $8 when winning the Group 1 Golden Slipper when the bookmakers underrated the colt and they might have fallen into the trap again.
The Written Tycoon colt was going to run in last Friday’s Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley, but it was scratched due to the poor track conditions. That might deter punters from backing it here, but drawing barrier seven will allow it to settle just in behind runners down the Flemington straight before unleashing a sustained sprint down the outside.
It will be seeing Flemington for the first time which is a worry, and this is a hot field, but consider at $2.70 with CrownBet for a top three finish.
2. Extreme Choice – $3.40
Trainer: Mick Price
Jockey: Craig Newitt
Form: 1118×1
Extreme Choice is a winner of four from five starts and the only miss came in the Golden Slipper when it bombed the start.
The quality son of Not A Single Doubt bounced back from that run when winning the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley last start where it put pay to champion sprinter Chautauqua in the straight.
Its wins prior included the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield where it defeated stablemate and race-rival Flying Artie by 1.75 lengths and punters would have a tough time finding a reason to not back the three-year-old.
It rises up in weight to 57kg after carrying 52kg last start, but it carried 58kg to victory when winning the Chairman’s Stakes by 4.5 lengths in February so the weight won’t be an issue in this.
Trainer Mick Price has two chances in the race, but believes Extreme Choice will be his best hope.
“There is not a lot between my two colts,” Price said. “I would say Extreme Choice is proven to have a very strong last 200m and 100m in his races. In the Moir Stakes, he was strong late.
“He has improved from his two-year-old days when he weighed in at 417kg but now he is 450kg hard fit. I think that augers well for him to be one of the better chances on Saturday.”
It looks tough to beat and the $3.40 at CrownBet will likely shorten throughout the week.
3. Astern – $3.70
Trainer: John O’Shea
Jockey: James McDonald
Form: 1101×112
There’s no denying the class of Astern and loyal punters will light up at the $3.70 available at WilliamHill.com.au.
The Godolphin three-year-old finished behind Capitalist in the Golden Slipper, but it has been lethal since which included a win in the Group 1 Golden Rose where it defeated Omei Sword by over two lengths.
It finished second as the $1.40 favourite last start in the Roman Consul Stakes behind Russian Revolution, but the race wasn’t run to date and it ran some slick sectionals over the last 400m. That bodes well for this, but we can’t explain the lack of early tote support.
The son of Medaglia D’oro has drifted from $3.60 to $3.70 which might have been due to the barrier draw, but drawing barrier eight isn’t always a negative down the Flemington straight. It likes to have opening running so jockey James McDonald will likely let it find its feet before pulling to the outside as the pressure comes on.
You can make a case for many runners in this field, but it would be foolish to overlook a potential champion in the making.
4. Flying Artie – $11
Trainer: Mick Price
Jockey: Hugh Bowman
Form: 2x123x1
The second of the Mick Price-trained runners, Flying Artie was a winner of the Blue Sapphire at Caulfield last start, but the colt did plenty wrong throughout the run which concerned Price, but it has pleased the trainer since.
“Flying Artie has made a lot of improvement from his first-up win at Caulfield,” Price said.
That’s a welcoming comment for punters as Flying Artie looked as green as grass last start. The win caused Damien Oliver to be suspended and although it put away a solid field, it will need to run more professionally to figure in the finish here.
The colt has good form heading into the Coolmore Stud Stakes which includes a second placing in the Blue Diamond and a third placing in the Golden Slipper. There is nothing wrong with that form and the $11 is a value price considering it paid $2.70 when it defeated Star Turn in the Blue Diamond Prelude.
Drawing barrier one might be a blessing in disguise and if it hugs the rail, it might run straight this time around. $11 at CrownBet is a respectable each way price for value punters.
5. Star Turn – $4.20
Trainer: Team Hawkes
Jockey: Dwayne Dunn
Form: 31x256x121
Star Turn turned heads when it won the Caulfield Sprint by 2.25 lengths at Caulfield last start. The Hawkes-trained colt was the heavily-backed favourite and it did the job in fine style, suggesting a win in the Coolmore Stud Stakes isn’t beyond the realm of possibility.
Its form leading into the Caulfield Sprint was solid with a placing behind Astern in the Run to the Rose and a win in the San Domenico Stakes, but the ease of its last start win has to be respected.
It avoided the superstars at the Flemington jumpouts last Friday where it finished second behind the Tony McEvoy-trained Manuel in the fastest heat of the day. It wasn’t asked to do much so don’t be discouraged by that bit of work.
It is a tough horse to decipher as it rises in weight following the win at Caulfield and Astern had its measure in the Run to the Rose, but it has improved significantly and punters should watch the market for any late movement.
6. Russian Revolution – $9.50
Trainer: Peter and Paul Snowden
Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
Form: 1111
$9.50 at Sportsbet is a fair price for an unbeaten runner from the Snowden stables. The three-year-old colt hasn’t been defeated in its four-race career and it is definitely the underrated runner coming into this.
The son of Snitzel put away the capable Morton’s Fork by two lengths at Randwick in June and it then travelled to Melbourne when winning the Vain Stakes. That win came narrowly, but its win in the Roman Consul should be taken note of, considering what it left it its wake.
Russian Revolution was able to dictate the pace and kick strongly as it held off a fast-finishing Astern and that form should see Russian Revolution much shorter in the market.
It won’t have a turn to accelerate off, but it has shown pure sprinting speed in the past and we think the $2.60 to place at Sportsbet is worth including in your racing multi bets.
7. Saracino – $31
Trainer: Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman
Jockey: Mark Zahra
Form: 253×1156
Murray Baker knows how to win the big races in Australia, but his three-year-old colt might find this a step too far this campaign.
The son of Per Incanto finished sixth in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas last start and it will have to adjust with the drop back in distance to 1200m. That doesn’t bode well as it comes up against Australia’s best three-year-old sprinters.
To its credit it has a win at Flemington over 1200m when beating race-rival Archives in the Danehill Stakes, but Archives is on the same line of betting at $31 and a top five finish might be its best result.
8. Archives – $31
Trainer: John O’Shea
Jockey: Craig Williams
Form: 31×291
Archives clearly struggled in the wet conditions at Moonee Valley last Saturday, but it fought gamely for the win and it would have gained a lot of fans out of that run.
The Godolphin colt is the second-stringer from the stable with Astern leading the way, but it has obvious ability and it will only get better with more racing under its belt.
O’Shea stated that Archives has pulled up well after the win on Saturday.
“He’s fresh and well from his win the other day and he’s shown that he can be very effective down the straight,” O’Shea said.
$31 is about the right price for the colt and we wouldn’t suggest taking anything shorter.
9. Derryn – $26
Trainer: David Hayes and Tom Dabernig
Jockey: Joao Moreira
Form: 6×1203
The three-year-old by Hinchinbrook has shown glimpses of form this campaign which included a second placing beind Divine Prophet in the Up And Coming Stakes at Randwick.
It then finished 10th in the Golden Rose which was very disappointing, but it worked home well enough in the Blue Sapphire last start to suggest it has more to give this spring.
Co-trainer Tom Dabernig said earlier in the year after it won the Brian Reckas Handicap at Caulfield that Derryn could step up to the bigger races during the Melbourne spring carnival.
“The way he won there makes you think he will measure up to the better races in the spring,” he said.
It gets champion international jockey Joao Moreira in the saddle which helps and it could add some value to first four selections.
10. Manolo Blahniq – $101
Trainer: Tony Noonan
Jockey: Steven Arnold
Form: 210×585
The former New Zealand colt showed some ability when winning the Eclipse Stakes over subsequent stakes winner Honey Rider, but since arriving in Australia it hasn’t been overly impressive.
It did make good late ground behind Flying Artie in the Blue Sapphire Stakes, but that suggests it might need more ground and its previous two starts came in behind Star Turn and Astern where it failed to make any ground.
Has been specked at big odds, but isn’t worth the risk.