• Top 3 – No. 2 Shangri La Boy
• Top 4 – No. 3 San Giovanni
• Top 4 – No. 13 The Pearls

SHANGRI LA BOY (2) is the race favourite is chasing a third straight win and he looks well placed to handle the rise in class and distance. The Pierro colt was a big winner at the draw, landing barrier two, and gains Nash Rawiller with Hyeronimus riding rival Attica. After a dominant maiden win at Rosehill over 1400m, he stepped up to 1800m and made a mess of his rivals in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes — a proven spring launching pad. The extra furlong poses no concern off that powerhouse performance, and with El Castello doing the Gloaming–Spring Champion double last year, punters are backing this colt to follow suit. He’s rising fast, has staying power, tactical speed, and the turn of foot to take control when it counts. The one they all have to beat.

Trainer Michael Freedman is striking form at the right time and lines up a genuine value contender in SAN GIOVANNI (5). The Zoustar gelding has flown under the radar with punters despite posting two strong thirds in Sydney this prep, including a sneaky good run in the Gloaming Stakes where he finished just 2.47 lengths off Saturday’s favourite. He had no favours from the draw that day but stuck on gamely, and now gets a softer alley with Andrew Adkins sticking. Lightly raced, having only debuted in July, he’s trending the right way and looks ready to relish the rise in trip. One for the exotics and a live dark horse for those chasing value.

The last of the Waller brigade, THE PEARLS (1) draws perfectly in barrier one — the same gate that launched Tom Kitten to victory in 2023. This classy Kiwi-bred Proisir filly broke her maiden at Hawkesbury over 1500m on September 25 before stepping straight into Group company in the Gloaming Stakes. Sent out at 60/1, she defied the market with a huge run to finish second behind Shangri La Boy, making her performance all the more impressive given it was her first crack at stakes level. Lightly raced and clearly on the rise, she looks ready to peak over 2000m and gets Tim Clark aboard again. If you’re backing the Gloaming form, she’s a genuine each-way play with upside and tactical speed to stay handy. One of the more intriguing runners in the field.