Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted October 31 Journalists Share Posted October 31 What VRC Derby Day 2024 Where Flemington Racecourse – Melbourne, Victoria When Saturday, November 2, 2024 First Race 12:20pm AEDT Visit Dabble VRC Derby Day is set to kick off the 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival, with a stacked nine-race meeting lined up at Flemington this Saturday. The Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) takes top billing and is ably supported by the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m). Perfect conditions await, with the track rated a Good 4 and the rail in its true position. The first of nine races is set to commence at 12:20pm AEDT. Race 1: Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) The traditional opener to Derby Day looks a perfect event for the Chris Waller-trained Aeliana. The three-year-old filly was held up for a run before surging to the line late to claim Group 3 glory at Randwick on October 19 over 1400m, and she is set to appreciate getting to the mile. James McDonald will have her settled towards the rear of the field, but with the long Flemington straight at her disposal, Aeliana looks hard to hold out in the 2024 Carbine Club Stakes. Selections: 6 AELIANA 1 FEROCE 3 ACTA NON VERBA 8 ANOTHER PROPHET Carbine Club Stakes Race 1 – #6 Aeliana (8) 3yo Filly | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (56kg) +280 with Bet365 Race 2: Group 2 The Vanity (1400m) Good Sort arguably should have beaten Aeliana last time out. The Tassort filly was held up for a run basically for the entirety of the Randwick straight before launching late to be beaten by a half-length. Barrier 10 should mean James McDonald has her in clear air approaching the home turn, and if she can follow a back into the race, Good Sort has a strong enough turn of foot to account for her rivals in The Vanity. Selections: 9 GOOD SORT 10 LOVELYCUT 7 MATISSE 13 EXTREMELY HARDYS The Vanity Race 2 – #9 Good Sort (10) 3yo Filly | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (Weight kg) +750 with Dabble Race 3: Group 3 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) Maharba produced a scintillating finish first-up at Caulfield after a five-month layoff. Having settled towards the rear of the field, he was left with too much to do late on but closed nicely to suggest he was worth following. He steps up to 1200m second-up, a distance where he has won twice and placed on four other occasions. If he can settle a touch closer to the speed, Maharba has a swift turn of foot and will take some holding out in the 2024 Rising Fast Stakes. Selections: 2 MAHARBA 3 SPACEWALK 1 STAR PATROL 6 SCHWARZ Best Value Race 3 – #2 Maharba (2) 4yo Gelding | T: Grahame Begg | J: Jordan Childs (57kg) +900 with Marantelli Bet Race 4: Group 2 The Damien Oliver (1400m) It took a ridiculous effort from Antino to undo Another Wil in the Toorak Handicap. That form reads very well for this Group 2, as outside of stablemate Jimmysstar, The Damien Oliver lacks depth. From barrier two, Jamie Kah can have Another Wil in a prominent position throughout the 1400m trip, and if he brings anything close to what he produced in his first two runs this campaign, he can make it eight wins from 12 career starts. Selections: 2 ANOTHER WIL 5 JIMMYSSTAR 6 RIPCORD 1 MIGHTY ULYSSES Best Bet Race 4 – #2 Another Wil (2) 5yo Gelding | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Jamie Kah (57.5kg) +200 with Neds Race 5: Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) Powers Of Opal put 5.5 lengths on her rivals at Hawkesbury on October 17 after competing in Group 1 company the start prior. The Ocean Park filly is a top hope for Thursday’s VRC Oaks (2500m), and this is the perfect stepping stool towards Group 1 glory. James McDonald will have her settled midfield with cover, and when asked to quicken, Powers Of Opal should be too classy in the 2024 Wakeful Stakes. Selections: 5 POWERS OF OPAL 4 IN HER EYES 2 TREASURETHE MOMENT 1 JENNI’S MEADOW Next Best Race 5 – #5 Powers Of Opal (8) 3yo Filly | T: John Sargent | J: James McDonald (55kg) +190 with Playup Race 6: Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) In what is one of the best editions of the 2024 Coolmore Stud Stakes, the Mark Walker-trained Bellatrix Star presents great value with horse racing bookmakers. The Star Witness filly was too good for her older rivals in weight-for-age company at Caulfield last time out, and prior to that produced two stunning victories against her own age group over 1100m and 1200m. She will be smoking the pipe out the back of the field, and with a stack of speed expected, Bellatrix Star can absorb the pressure and launch late to cause a minor upset in the Coolmore. Selections: 14 BELLATRIX STAR 3 TRAFFIC WARDEN 1 GROWING EMPIRE 2 COLEMAN Coolmore Stud Stakes Race 6 – #14 Bellatrix Star (11) 3yo Filly | T: Mark Walker | J: Blake Shinn (55kg) +850 with Picklebet Race 7: Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500) The time-honoured Group 1 VRC Derby is the headline act on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. A full field of 16 will duke it out for the $2 million on offer and look to etch their name into the history books. Will El Castello complete the Spring Champion Stakes and VRC Derby, or is there somewhat of an upset brewing? Click here for our full preview of the 2024 VRC Derby Race 8: Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) With three wins and two minor placings from eight goes at Flemington, Atishu looks extremely hard to go past in the 2024 Empire Rose Stakes. The Chris Waller-trained mare is already a Group 1 winner over 2000m at the track and is sure to appreciate getting away from the likes of Mr Brightside and Via Sistina. With Grinzinger Belle set to make this a genuinely run mile, the race sets up perfectly for James McDonald to have Atishu towards the rear of the field before unleashing a stunning finish and blousing some potentially vulnerable rivals late on. Selections: 1 ATISHU 13 PLENTY OF AMMO 2 AMELIA’S JEWEL 7 ALSEPHINA Empire Rose Stakes Race 8 – #1 Atishu (9) 7yo Mare | T: Chris Waller | J: James McDonald (57kg) +360 with Boombet Race 9: Group 3 Furphy Sprint (1100m) Pharari is coming off a couple of handy BM78 performances at Rosehill and returns to the Flemington straight for the first time since a poor run in the Listed Creswick Sprint Series Final in July. The four-year-old mare is blessed with a stack of speed and is drawn perfectly out wide in barrier 14. Ethan Brown will likely have her stalking the leaders throughout, and as long as Pharari can handle the Flemington straight, look for her to roar to victory in style. Selections: 15 PHARARI 3 SANS DOUTE 17 ISTHMUS 5 A LITTLE DEEP Furphy Sprint Race 9 – #15 Pharari (14) 4yo Mare | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Ethan Brown (55kg) +600 with Unibet Derby Day quaddie tips for Flemington Flemington quadrella selections Saturday, November 2, 2024 1-2-3-5-6-13-14 1-2-4-5-7-8 1-2-13 3-5-15-17-19 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip 8 Horse racing tips View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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