Caulfield Racecourse hosts the year’s opening Group 1 race meeting with Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes Day 2017 stealing the show in Melbourne today, Saturday February 11.

A bumper nine-race card is set for the track and despite the heat wave in Sydney calling off the Winx Apollo Stakes Day card, Melbourne racing will go ahead with a mild partly cloudy day with a top of 23 degrees.

Caulfield Track Report – 11/02/2017

• Weather: Fine
• Rail: True Entire Circuit
• Irrigation: 8mm last 24 hours, 18mm last 7 days
• Rainfall: nil last 24 hours, 47mm last 7 days
• Track Rating: Good (3)

CF Orr Stakes Day racing kicks off this afternoon at 12:30pm (AEDT) with the meeting’s only non-Group race.

All eight other scheduled races hold Group status including the day’s marquee race – the $500,000 Group 1 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) running as Caulfield Race 7.

The lead-up Prelude races to the $1.5 million Group 1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) back at the track in a fortnight also take place, while the Newmarket Handicap-bound sprinters face off in the Rubiton Stakes.

Check out the full Caulfield race scratchings and CF Orr Stakes Day schedule below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au to enjoy access to the day’s best racing odds and offers.

Caulfield Scratchings & Race Previews – 11/02/2017

Total Scratchings: 7

Race 1 (12:30pm) – $100,000 thebigscreencompany.com.au Handicap (1800m)

• #10 O’Lonera (6)

Handicap staying event for the meeting’s opener that has the feel of a spring Geelong Cup field. Plenty of classy second-tier stayers in the mix including the returning 61kg top weight Signoff ($12) for his new stable. Chris Waller-trained Hipparchus ($2.70) is firm favourite for the win getting in on the minimum and coming off a win.

Race 2 (1:05pm) – $200,000 Group 2 Hyland Race Colours Autumn Stakes (1400m)

• No current scratchings

Australian Guineas hopes face off in the Autumn Stakes with all eight original acceptors in the mix including the progressive Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Attention ($4.80) and Ciaron Maher’s returning Sandown Guineas runner-up Ruthven ($5) who is firming fast in the markets.

Full 2017 Autumn Stakes Betting Tips & Preview  

Race 3 (1:40pm) – $200,000 Group 2 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (1100m)

• #5 Blondie (6)
• #8 Cherief’s Choice (9)

Blue Diamond Stakes-bound fillies face off in the third and winner of the Group 1 could be uncovered with the undefeated Lindsay Park-trained Catchy ($2.35) all the rage in betting. Limestone is the danger at $2.60 and coming off a gun run into the race.

Full 2017 Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude Tips

Race 4 (2:15pm) – $200,000 Group 3 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m)

• #9 Ducimus (11)

The two-year-old boys get their turn in the fourth on way to the Blue Diamond in a fortnight. This has proven the form race to follow into the $1.5 million classic and the biggest hopes shape-up as the Preview winner Property ($4.60), Pariah ($3.40) and Cao Cao ($5) for Mick Price.

Full 2017 Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude Tips  

Race 5 (2:50pm) – $150,000 Group 3 Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m)

• No current scratchings

Some very smart three-year-old fillies take to the track in the Kevin Hayes this year including the Darren Weir-trained Jennifer Lynn ($4.40) who will be the improver second-up. Open field where Fuhryk ($2.90) jumps favourite at her pet distance (4-3-0-0). Value to be had though with the likes of Price’s flying Special Diva ($19) shooting for a third on the trot and the returning Zunbaqa ($10) in a gun barrier four draw.

Race 6 (3:25pm) – $200,000 Group 2 Schweppes Rubiton Stakes (1100m)

• #5 Miss Promiscuity (2)

Shapes up as easy kill for champion sprinter Chautauqua ($2.80) if he is back to his best. Only faces seven rivals, won this race two years ago and is out to atone for the two unplaced spring runs. Wild Rain is the market mover and biggest threat with her stellar 1100m record (9-4-4-0).

Full 2017 Rubiton Stakes Tips

Race 7 (4:05pm) – $500,000 Group 1 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m)

• No current scratchings

A dozen starters in the CF Orr Stakes field and pretty much all of them have top three claims. Back up to 1400m the Darren Weir-trained Black Heart Bart ($3.90) is the favourite to turn the tables on his Australia Stakes conqueror last time out Malaguerra ($4.40). They have the widest two alleys though so look for the value in Weir’s runner-up in the race last year Lucky Hussler ($6.50) and even the returning He’s Our Rokkii ($15).

Full 2017 CF Orr Stakes Tips & Betting Preview

Race 8 (4:45pm) – $150,000 Group 3 The Resimax Group TS Carlyon Cup (1600m)

• No current scratchings

A couple of nice Australian Cup hopes are in this field and potential Sydney Cup horses later in the autumn. Expecting good things from Lee & Anthony Freedman’s import Tom Melbourne this time in. Hard to go past the flying Burning Front and Humidor for Weir, while Lindsay Park’s Grande Rosso has claims from the inside alley. Tally is top weight and will improve off whatever he does in this for the Godolphin stable.

Race 9 (5:25pm) – $150,000 Group 3 MyPunter.com Bellmaine Stakes (1200m)

• #4 Rocket Commander (11)
• #11 Jinx (3)

The mares face off in the last and keen to see how Michael Kent’s undefeated Abbey Marie comes back racing for the first time since the Schweppes Oaks win in Adelaide a while ago. Inside alley for her. Silent Sedition is full of class and is ultra-consistent with Williams aboard, while money is coming for the widely-drawn Thames Court ($4.80).

*All times are AEDT and odds from Ladbrokes.com.au – subject to change