3 minute read
Hard not to have one eye on the Caulfield meeting this weekend, it is an absolute bottler and yes I will be backing Cascadian (prayers).
Randwick is a decent support card, the Spring Champion is a great edition, a lot stronger than what many initially anticipated.
Of the 13 set to face the starter there a number of differing form-lines converging, five come through the Gloaming Stakes won by Love Tap, two back up off the Flight Stakes and three make the trip up from Victoria.
Montefilia is the early favourite following her success in the Flight Stakes and she gives the impression she will be better at 2000m.
Yankee Rose was the first filly to win the Spring Champion in 2016, before Maid Of Heaven followed the same path when also backing up to win the feature.
No fillies contested the Spring Champion last year, with Montefilia now aiming to be the third filly in five years to win the event.
It all looks pretty rosy, she is very easy to like, though my two question marks are the inside draw and stepping up to 2000m off a very fast mile (never easy).
Victorian raider Cherry Tortoni has been rock solid in both runs back and now appears set to relish the step up to 2000m.
He closed off very well behind Glenfiddich in the Bill Stutt Stakes, form which sees him very well placed on Saturday.
We only have a pound between Montefilia and Cherry Tortoni (weight adjusted) on their last start.
It's far from an exact science, but given we feel Montefilia could come off that peak whereas Cherry Tortoni looks more likely to improve that rating, suddenly it's easy to swing the race in his favour, especially at the price.
He's drawn to adopt a more prominent position and with his fair share of luck, he should prove hard to beat.
In the last event the Joe Pride trained Superium remains a big watch in his return.
Plagued by wet tracks last time in, Superium often loomed up to win, but was unable to finish it off.
Given a short break (98 days), he is expected to show sharp improvement back on top of the ground and more notably he actually rates close to top on his form last preparation.
Easy to make a case he has a lot more to offer and while 1000m may be short of his best, he's only had the sole trial and has drawn to get a lovely suck run.
Just needs to keep in touch early, there looks plenty of speed on up front and don't want him chasing from a long way out.
If he's able to get into a nice rhythm, he looks very hard to hold out, no doubt he has the talent to be winning a Bm78.
He's SPs last preparation: $4.50, $5, $4 and $5.50, which suggests there is a bit of an edge in his early price, especially if you believe he is better suited tomorrow (which I do).
Simon Dinopoulos' Three Tips:
Race 2 #1 Wild Ruler @ $2.10
Race 7 #1 Cherry Tortoni @ $6.50
Race 9 #4 Superium @ $7.00
