Brave Mead opens favourite for Carbine Club Stakes on Derby Day

Wandering Eyes · November 1, 2023

Brave Mead heads betting for the 2023 Carbine Club Stakes. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos)

Brave Mead has been installed as favourite for Saturday’s Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington Racecourse.

Jamie Spencer will partner the last-start Caulfield winner, with Mark Zahra booted off the progressive colt despite partnering him at all three starts this campaign.

Online bookmakers have Brave Mead listed as a +160 market elect for the opening event on VRC Derby Day.

Zahra will partner Heman (+300), who comes to Flemington after finishing fourth in the Tapp-Craig at Rosehill on October 7.

Saturday’s $500,000 race will be Heman’s second look at Flemington after being well beaten in the Listed Poseidon Stakes (1100m) on September 16.

Last-start Kembla Grange maiden winner Influential (+320) will be looking to hand master trainer Chris Waller a fourth win in the Carbine Club Stakes.

Waller has tasted success in the race with Kermadec (2014), Comin’ Through (2016) and Fangirl (2021).

Influential will be partnered by James McDonald, who rode the progeny of The Autumn Sun in his three runs as a juvenile earlier in the year.

The Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes will open the jam-packed meeting at Flemington on Saturday afternoon, with racing set to commence at 12:20pm AEDT.

Carbine Club Stakes 2023 Field

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1	Brave Mead	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Jamie Spencer	5	58kg
2	Heman	Peter & Paul Snowden	Mark Zahra	2	57kg
3	Kaizad	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark	6	57kg
4	Critique	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Opie Bosson	8	57kg
5	Influential	Chris Waller	James McDonald	3	57kg
6	Rovno Amber	Shane Nichols	Zac Spain	9	57kg
7	Ersa	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	John Allen	1	55kg
8	Mah Ali	Benjamin Smith	Winona Costin	4	55kg
9	Just In Time	Richard & Will Freedman	Damien Oliver	7	55kg