The Chipping Norton Stakes meeting will be held at Warwick Farm this weekend. The course proper was rated a Soft 5 on Thursday and with overcast weather in Sydney, Warwick Farm will border on Good/Soft condition on raceday.
The Blue Diamond Stakes meeting will be held at Caulfield this Saturday. The course proper was rated a Good 3 on Thursday. The forecast is for partly cloudy weather over the next couple of days in Melbourne and Caulfield will be racing on a Good surface on raceday.
Sydney trainer Team Hawkes can open the Caulfield meeting with a winner with 3YO Onerous (Melbourne Race 1, 1200m). The grey colt won brilliantly 1st up at Seymore over 1100m but was a little disappointing last start at Sandown over 1300m. Back to 1200m on Saturday will suit him better and from barrier 2, Dwayne Dunn will be able to settle Onerous on the pace next to the fence. Currently at $5.00 in the fixed odds market, Onerous is a pretty good value bet.
The Lee & Shannon Hope-trained Sabatini can take out the Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes (Melbourne Race 3, 1400m). Last year’s Thousand Guineas placegetter has come back in fantastic order winning 1st up in the Group 2 Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m). The filly won her only 2nd up start and she has a good record at Caulfield winning twice & placing once from 4 starts at the venue. Sabatini will get a lovely run on the fence from barrier 1 just behind the pace and she will unleash her sprint strongly in the straight.
Dissident can make back-to-back Group 1 victory in the Futurity Stakes (Melbourne Race 5, 1400m). The 4YO stallion is a dual Caulfield 1400m Group 1 winner and he is at his best at this distance winning 3 times and placing twice from 5 attempts. From barrier 8, Ben Melham will take his time and settle Dissident mid-field one off the fence. On form & figures, it’s hard to see Dissident getting beaten as he is simply the best horse in the race.
Fontiton will become the 4th filly in a row to win the Blue Diamond Stakes (Melbourne Race 8, 1200m). Samaready, Miracles Of Life & Earthquake had won the previously 3 Blue Diamonds and Fontiton looks set to follow their footsteps this Saturday in the Group 1 2YO feature. In particular, Fontiton shares a lot of similarities with Miracles Of Life. Both were unbeaten in their 3 starts leading into the Blue Diamond, both were versatile enough to lead or take a sit and both fillies won their races by pretty big margin. And both fillies drawn barrier 1 in the Blue Diamond. And I believe the end result will be the same. Fontiton looks the best 2YO in Melbourne this season and she will win the 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes.
By Owens Wong, Editor
