The opening Group race on the bumper 10-even Cox Plate Day card in Melbourne on Saturday sees the three-year-old fillies face off in the Moonee Valley Fillies Classic 2015, betting tips for the mile clash found below.
Hugh Bowman can give Thames Court the winning ride in Saturday’s Moonee Valley Fillies Classic 2015 on Cox Plate Day. Photo: Daniel Costello.
Of the nine up-and-comers making up the field for this year’s $200,000 Group 1 Alliance Broking Services Fillies Classic (1600m), due to jump at 1:50pm (AEST) as Moonee Valley Race 3, the top fancy at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Best Tote or SP + 20% on the entire Cox Plate Day card – is the Robert Smerdon-trained My Poppette ($3.50).
She gets the run of the race from barrier one and shoots for her first win this time in at start number four after a last start third in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) over the same distance at Flemington.
So will the favourite My Poppette cash in on barrier one and salute at her second mile run or is there value further down the Moonee Valley Fillies Classic odds from the likes of the Gai Waterhouse-trained Sempre Libera ($5), 2015 Crown Oaks hope Don’t Doubt Mamma ($5) or even the early market mover Seeking Asylum ($11)?
1st
#8 Thames Court ($8.50)
For value Thames Court looks on the improve and is at a nice price to win her second at career start number four. The Mornington-trained Commands filly is well-bred, won over 1200m on debut and was a credible fifth in the Edward Manifold last time out. The mile suits, she’ll be better for that run and ace hoop Hugh Bowman is aboard here from a good barrier five draw. She’s a danger and the run last time out was luckless, so with a clearer passage here she’s got the most upside.
2nd
#1 My Poppette ($3.50)
Robert Smerdon’s top fancy will be hard to hold out and is begging for a win after three good runs this time in. She should be at her peak on Saturday and will have lots left in the tank late after jumping from the inside alley. Mark Zahra retains the ride and will have a better shot in this than the Edward Manifold when the daughter of Snippetson was out in barrier 14 of 16. She’s got class, is a black-type winner over 1400m at Flemington and the form from that autumn success was franked when runner-up Lizard Island ran second in the Caulfield Guineas.
3rd
#4 Seeking Asylum ($11)
Money is coming early for Gary Portelli’s Sebring filly who shoots for her first win since the winter. She did it in the mud over 1500m at Canterbury in late July narrowly and is a four-time winner from seven starts. She’s yet to run in Group company so is up in class here on the back of a fourth at Randwick from October 10. Needs to handle the Melbourne way of racing, the mile should suit though as well set weights. Kerrin McEvoy will give her the run she needs from barrier four so cann’t be discounted.
Now is the time to head to Ladbrokes.com.au and back your favourites across the Cox Plate Day card at Best Tote or SP + 20% plus enjoy an Extra 50% on your very first Fixed Odds winner in Races 1 – 5 at Moonee Valley on Saturday!
