Bravo Tango will have a number of early autumn starts looking to secure a spot in the 2018 Australian Guineas field this March on the back of an eye-catching weekend run at Flemington.

Royal Symphony is an early favourite in pre-field Australian Guineas 2018 betting this Melbourne Festival of Racing. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Congrats colt finished a brave third behind the class winner Nature Strip, who is on way to the Group 1 $500,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Day, in the $250,000 Inglis Dash (1100m) last Saturday.

It was an eye-catching performance fresh by the Mitchell Freedman-trained Bravo Tango who, with Ben Melham in the saddle, made up all the late ground from the back of the field.

Currently the progressive bay has enjoyed two wins and two placings from four career starts, his other black-type assignment producing a Listed Poseidon Stakes (1400m) second to Snitzepeg at Flemington back in October last year.

Ballarat horseman Freedman is looking at a mile Melbourne Festival of Racing assignment for Bravo Tango who he would love to see line-up on March 3 in the Group 1 $1 million Australian Guineas (1600m).

“We’re probably going to have to win a race on the way through to make sure we get a spot in the Guineas,” Freedman told Racing Victoria on Sunday.

“He seems to have come through the run well, he ate up and has done all the right things.

“He poked around on the water walker this morning and seems really good.”

On way to the Australian Guineas, Bravo Tango will be out to earn his spot in the field via lead-up runs in the Group 3 $150,000 Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 3 and Flemington’s Group 3 $150,000 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) a fortnight later on Black Caviar Lightning Day.

“He was big in the yard, he was above himself out the back and I certainly think he’s going to benefit from that run,” Freedman added.

“I reckon at some point he’ll be able to settle a lot closer in the run, he showed better barrier speed yesterday [Saturday] than he has in the past and at some point we’re going to have to use that to settle midfield rather than be right out the back.

“We’ve got to remember yesterday was only a restricted sales race but he should improve as he gets deeper into his preparation and as he progresses in distance.”

The CS Hayes Stakes has produced the past three Australian Guineas winners with: Wandjina (1^st in 2015), Palentino (2^nd in 2016) and Hey Doc (1^st in 2017).

Pre-field Australian Guineas betting this autumn is currently led by Tony McEvoy’s last start Cox Plate fourth placed Domesday colt Royal Symphony and the Aaron Purcell-trained Thousand Guineas winning filly Aloisia.

Bravo Tango is the other best fancied three-year-old in the all-in Australian Guineas odds at Australian bookmakers.

The Australian Guineas is also on the autumn agenda for Mick Price’s upset Caulfield Guineas winner Mighty Boss.

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