After Sydney spring racing reaches its peak on Epsom Day on Saturday, Sunday the action is back in Melbourne at the famous Flemington Racecourse and is headlined by the Turnbull Stakes 2015 – betting tips for which are detailed below.
Hartnell is the Races.com.au tip to win the 2015 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington this Sunday in Melbourne. Photo: Steve Hart.
The capacity field for this year’s edition of the set weights plus penalties clash is due to run as Flemington Race 7 at 4:10pm (AEST) with the co-favourites in the $500,000 Group 1 Yellowglen Turnbull Stakes (2000m) markets at Ladbrokes.com.au being Alpine Eagle and Royal Descent at $6.
Tony McEvoy’s High Chaparral four-year-old Alpine Eagle comes off a close sixth in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) when beaten under a length while Chris Waller’s six-year-old mare Royal Descent is after her second win from four runs this campaign.
So will these two continue to do battle in the Turnbull Stakes markets right up until jump or will there be money for another hope such as the John O’Shea-trained The BMW winner Hartnell ($7) or Robert Hickmott’s progressive import Amralah ($7)?
1st
#3 Hartnell ($7)
Godolphin galloper Hartnell won the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) in Sydney during the autumn and is after his first win since. His maiden this time in was also in Sydney when fourth to Complacent in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick. Head to Flemington for the first time for his Melbourne debut and needs to handle this way of going but his class will help. He has a good record at the trip (4-2-0-1) including second-up last campaign on the back of a first-up second in Group 1 company, form that if he produces again can get him there even from the wide barrier with little speed likely in this race.
2nd
#16 Royal Descent ($6)
Lots to like about Waller’s former ATC Oaks winner who is out to become the third mare in the past 10 years to win including last year with Lucia Valentina getting the job done. Royal Descent is wide in gate 13 but is still co-favourite at this stage of betting with three top three runs from as many starts this time in including the Group 2 Warwick Stakes first-up. She’s heading towards the Caulfield Cup (2400m) so extra metres this weekend will suit.
3rd
#4 Preferment ($16)
Even more value on offer for another of Waller’s Spring Cup hopes, last year’s Victoria Derby winner heading towards the Melbourne Cup over two miles. Hugh Bowman stays on the Zabeel stallion who comes off a Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) where he defeated Saturday’s The Metropolitan favourite Magic Hurricane. Is probably starting to look for more metres but at this price with the good form is hard to go past.
Now is the time to head to Ladbrokes.com.au to take advantage of our insider Turnbull Stakes 2015 betting tips at the bookmaker offering Best Tote or SP + 20% on ALL RACES at Flemington on Sunday plus an extra 50% on your very first fixed odds winner in Races 1 – 5 on the card!
