Horse Racing

It may have only five horses in its field but this Saturday’s 2011 Zipping Classic, formerly the Sandown Classic, is the definite headline event of the weekend and while there is an odds-on favourite in Americain, below the Races.com.au team have our detailed Zipping Classic form guide analysis and betting preview to see if the former Melbourne Cup winner really is unbeatable.

Americain looks hard to beat in the 2011 Zipping Classic

The $350,000 Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) is scheduled as Sandown Race 6 on Saturday and is due to jump at 3:30pm (AEDT).

This is the first year the race has run as the Zipping Classic, the weight-for-age feature renamed in honour of four time consecutive champion Zipping (2007-2010).

Twelve months ago the popular Lloyd Williams-owned Zipping entered the history books when winning the Sandown Classic for the fourth straight year, backing up from a Melbourne Cup fourth.

This year the Alain de Royer Dupre-trained French stayer Americain comes off the same lead-up run, will face the same number of rivals as Zipping did last year and are odds-on favourite to claim victory at an easing quote of $1.50 at Luxbet.

They are the rank horse in the field, but are they the definite horse to back based on the Zipping Classic form guide facts and historical betting stats?

2011 Zipping Classic Form Guide Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s winner Zipping came off a Melbourne Cup fourth and jumped from barrier one of five; this year #1 Americain ($1.50 Luxbet) comes off a fourth in the Cup and #5 Saptapadi ($101 Luxbet) has the rails run from gate one
• Zipping’s owner Lloyd Williams is represented this year by #2 Mourayan ($4.20 Luxbet)
• #4 Lamasery boasts the best Win Rate of the field with 58.82%, followed by #1 Americain (37.04%) and #3 Manighar (28.57%)
• #4 Lamasery ($9 Luxbet) also comes off a last-start win having taken out the Listed Johnnie Walker Stakes (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day
• #3 Manighar ($8.50 Luxbet) is the only horse to have started at the Track & Distance, running third in the Sandown Classic behind Zipping and Exceptionally last year
• #2 Mourayan ($4.20 Luxbet) is the only other hopeful to have previously run at Sandown when third in the Sandown Cup at this meeting 12 months ago
• Horses to have won over the distance (2400m) before are #1 Americain (6-2-0-1), #3 Manighar (9-4-1-1), #4 Lamasery (2-1-0-1) and #5 Saptapadi (5-1-0-0); #2 Mourayan may not have won over the 2400m but they have run three seconds and a third from six attempts
• With rain continuing to fall in Melbourne, the Sandown track is currently rated a Heavy (8) and is still expected to be rated Slow – Heavy on Saturday; horses with the best Slow / Heavy records in the field are #1 Americain (Slow 5-3-1-0 / Heavy 0), #2 Mouryan (Slow 4-2-0-1/ Heavy 0) and #3 Manighar (Slow 3-1-0-1 / Heavy 2-0-0-1)
• Geldings have the best record with eight wins in the past decade, this year there are three geldings in the race with #3 Manighar, #4 Lamasery and #5 Saptapadi

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for our exclusive Zipping Classic tips listing the exact finishing order we have the field rated to cross the line in.

In the meantime, back your own selections and check out the full markets at our preferred online bookmaker Luxbet.

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2011 Zipping Classic Field & Form Guide

*Form Guide Credit IASbet