The weekend’s sole Group race is Caulfield’s 2016 Bletching Stakes, betting tips for which can be found below.
Runway Star is the Races.com.au tip to win Saturday’s 2016 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. Photo: Adrienne Bicknell.
Due to run as Caulfield Race 7 at 3:45pm (AEST) on the nine-race Saturday program in Melbourne, this year’s $150,000 Group 3 “(1200m) originally drew a final field of 12 sprinters.
The line-up is down to 11 however after the early scratching of the Peter Gelagotis-trained surprise acceptor The Cleaner (2).
The galloper’s new trainer Gelagotis will instead save the 2016 Cox Plate-bound galloper for a resuming run in his original first-up target, the $200,000 Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) back at Caulfield on August 13.
Leading the latest Bletchingly Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $3 and firming is the Darren Weir-trained market mover Mahuta.
Jumping from barrier seven with Brad Rawiller in the saddle, the Flying Spur colt has his final run as a three-year-old returning to racing in the Group 3 at a track he is undefeated at to date.
A winner of six of his nine career starts, Mahuta is two-from-two at Caulfield Racecourse and returns there for the first time since his Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) win from mid-February.
That came during a stellar winning streak that also included the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions 3YO Guineas before things came undone when 14th (of 15 runners) in early March in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m).
The other best in Bletchingly Stakes betting this season at $3.50 is Fast ‘N’ Rocking, the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained five-year-old set to race on speed from a wide draw as he chases his first win since October last year.
So will the top two fancies run the quinella or is there value tipping an upset Bletchingly Stakes result from the likes of Phillip Stokes’ visiting Adelaide-trained mare Runway Star ($7) or even the reigning champion Smokin’ Joey ($17)?
1st
#12 Runway Star ($7)
Having just her second run at Caulfield is this smart Northern Meteor m are from Morphettville who is five-from-nine over the 1200m distance she returns to this weekend. Runway Star was in top form at home during May including her last start Group 3 Proud Miss win over her own kind. A second in a Murray Bridge trial from earlier this month has her sharp and ready to strike in Melbourne. She has a stellar record fresh, is over her favourite distance and from the wider draw can close late and take it out.
2nd
#4 Lord Of The Sky ($8)
Lots to like about the Robbie Laing-trained Danerich stallion who is second-up and has a nice second-up record to date (5-3-1-0). His resuming run was a close fourth only two lengths off the winner Wild Rain in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at this track on July 16. Gets the two weeks between runs and likes Caulfield, plus is a four-time runner-up from seven runs over the 1200m.
3rd
#10 Mahuta ($3)
Deserving favourite, but he might need the run. He’s only been tested first-up once to date and did run a nice second, however this is a tougher field of open-age rivals and needs to show he hasn’t lost his spark from the summer – autumn. If he’s at his best, he’s a big hope to salute for the punters in a field without any other standouts.
Whether you’re backing or sacking our Bletchingly Stakes 2016 tips make sure you’ve got access to the guaranteed best odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost!
