3 minute read
The biggest and best week of racing on the Australasian calendar kicks off at Flemington on 2024 Victoria Derby Day!
For more racing and sports previews, visit the Ladbrokes Blog.
Through seven days, eight Group 1 features will be run and won, headlined by Tuesday's Melbourne Cup, and no fewer than three headline Saturday's offering.
I've run the rule over all nine races, and you can find my complete 2024 Victoria Derby Day tips below.
Race 1 - 12:20pm: Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m)
As per usual, Derby Day kicks off with the running of the Carbine Club Stakes and a repeat of his last effort would see Feroce extremely difficult to beat.
Feroce has taken big improvement from each run back from a break and was last seen finishing an agonizingly close second in the Caulfield Guineas.
He's hard fit and this is substantially weaker.
3 Units Feroce
Race 2 - 1pm: Group 3 The Vanity (1400m)
We're looking at $8 the field in The Vanity betting at publish and with each way value around all of them, I'm going to stick with Geegees Mistruth.
The classy Tasmanian hasn't turned in a poor performance to date: she won all four starts in the Apple Isle during her debut prep and has placed in three black type races on the mainline this time.
She's hard fit and the $15 about her at publish is overs, in my opinion.
1 Unit E/W Geegees Mistruth
Race 3 - 1:40pm: Group 3 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m)
This is a great edition of the Rising Fast Stakes with plenty of winning chances engaged, including Johnny Rocker.
He didn't show his best in his first three runs back this time, but all three races were stronger than this one, and he has taken plenty of benefit from each.
Trainer Nick Ryan said on Tuesday that he has been pleased with the work that the horse has done since his latest appearance in the Gilgai Stakes, and he's another whom we can have something on each way.
1 Unit E/W Johnny Rocker
Race 4 - 2:20pm: Group 2 The Damien Oliver (1400m)
Another Wil can bounce back under Jamie Kah this week.
It's been a huge year for the Street Boss gelding, who has won six of eight starts in 2024, with his only misses coming in Group 1 company.
He didn't fire a shot in the Toorak Handicap last time out, but he drops back to the 1400m and back to Group 2 company here, and it looks the perfect opportunity for him to return to winning form in The Damien Oliver.
4 Units Another Wil
Race 5 - 3pm: Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m)
With one eye on next Thursday's VRC Oaks, Powers Of Opal looks well placed in the Wakeful Stakes.
The Ocean Park filly was ridden upside down in the Flight Stakes earlier this month and ultimately finished fourth, and she was given a soft kill out at Hawkesbury last time out.
She steps out in peak order this week, 2000m looks perfect for her, and she'll looking to be rattling home late under James McDonald.
3 Units Powers Of Opal
Race 6 - 3:40pm: Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m)
We are set for a stunning edition of the Coolmore Stud Stakes and one horse that looks perfectly placed in the race is last-start winner, Switzerland.
Switzerland turned in some fine performances during his two-year-old season, and after dusting off the cobwebs in the Run To The Rose, he blew them away in the Roman Consul Stakes at Rosehill last time out.
He profiles similarly to a horse like Home Affairs who won this race in 2021, and under James McDonald, he should receive every chance.
3 Units Switzerland
Race 7 - 4:20pm: Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m)
Red Aces turned in a tough performance to win last weekend's Group 2 Vase at The Valley and is on the quick back-up into the Victoria Derby.
The Dundeel colt has only made five appearances since debuting, but he is a horse that has continued to improve noticeably with each experience, and he was extremely tough last weekend.
The rise in trip looks suitable at this point of his preparation and breeding suggests he'll get the trip.
2 Units Red Aces
Race 8 - 5pm: Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m)
The Empire Rose is always a terrific and open contest, and with several winning chances engaged again this year, I'm keen to give the Kiwi raider Orchestral another chance.
She was nothing short of outstanding through both the New Zealand and Australian autumn seasons this year, winning Group 1 features on both sides of the ditch and stamping herself as one to follow.
She returned to action with a fair effort without threating at Ellerslie in September and was well beaten by Antino in the Toorak, but she's a horse that should relish the big track at Flemington, she'll enjoy improvement into this and will appreciate a return to mares' company.
2 Units E/W Orchestral
Race 9 - 5:40pm: Group 3 Furphy Sprint (1100m)
I'm happy to give Sans Doute one more chance when she takes her place in the last on Victoria Derby Day.
Sans Doute was excellent during her autumn prep this year, winning four races in succession, including two Listed features, but she is yet to strike in three runs back this time.
She's hard fit and the booking of James McDonald this week is obviously a big bonus.
2 Units Sans Doute
