Racing & Sports expert selections.
RACE 1 - DEMON DARB (7) saves his best form for this mile journey with three wins and two placings from seven efforts and is a two-time winner around this circuit. Berry sticks in the irons following that last-start placing and should be going very close to bouncing back into the winners' stall. VICTORY WIN (2) is a four-time winner over this distance range and gets the services of gun hoop Williams in the saddle. Will be at peak fitness now and can make his presence felt. SPACE AGE (6) gave a sight up on speed last time out, draws low and gets 2kg off with the claim. Will be in this for a long way. ANEMACORE (8) didn't measure up in Group 3 company last start but will find this assignment much more to his liking. Can bounce right back to form against this line-up. QUOTHQUAN (10) is a consistent conveyance who has hit the top-four in five of his past six outings and looks one for the exotics players.
RACE 2 - WINSOME STAR (14) let supporters down last time out but go on the dominant win over this course and distance two back. Gets the Melbourne Cup winning combination of Symons/Laxon/Dolan and a bounce back to form would not surprise. DEEP RESPECT (2) is a three-time winner over this seven-furlong journey and will strip fitter third-up from the spell. Drawn favourably and should be right there at the business end. CHERRY ROSE (11) has a handy strike rate winning six of 12 starts to date and only went down by the narrowest of margins at the latest effort. Top-three contender. HARBOURMASTER (4) resumes here but has two wins and a second from five first-up attempts and can run a bold race while fresh. TERRESTAR (9) brings NSW formlines to the table and any market confidence must be respected.
RACE 3 - The $200,000 Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup. IMMEDIACY (3) has put back-to-back Victorian wins together and is racing with a lot of confidence this campaign. Looks ready for the step-up in trip now and gets McDonald on from the inside marble. Can bring up the hat-trick here. FLYING BANDIT (7) grows a leg for hoop Ford who has six wins from just eight steers and doesn't know how to put in a poor one. Only needs some luck navigating from the wide draw to be playing a major role in the outcome. CAMPALDINO (14) has gone bang bang at the past couple and gets the reliable Waterhouse/Bott/Clark combination. Should give backers a sight up on speed. HEZASHOCKA (2) boasts a win over this course and distance and looks the class runner in this field. Shouldn't be underestimated. ETNA ROSSO (5) showed improvement last time out and is next in line from the Waller barn.
RACE 4 - The $200,000 Group 3 Lord Mayor's Cup. TAVI TIME (1) bounced back to the winners' list last time out with a strong win in the Scone Cup and has placed two from two over this distance range. Will be at his peak now fourth-up from the spell and gets winning rider McDonald back in the saddle. Can feature prominently from the favourable draw. NEW ENDEAVOUR (5) has been right there in all four outings this campaign and looks to be working up to another victory. Looms as the main danger. BANKERS CHOICE (3) has put back-to-back wins together and has since been given a bit of a freshen up to prepare for the drop back in trip here. Hard to ignore winning form. REGAL AZMON (2) has hit the top-four in 12 of his past 13 starts and doesn't know how to put in a poor one. Has to be included in calculations.
RACE 5 - A cracking edition of the $1 million Group 2 BRC Sires' Produce. GALLO NERO (2) made up a stack of ground when resuming and is sure to appreciate the extra furlong here. Winning hoop Schiller stays on board and will have come on with that run now in the locker. Rates the testing material. AERODROME (7) has gone bang bang to start the career and hails from a stable that has an impressive record with two-year-olds. Expected to be right in the finish again. PRINCE TYCOON (4) looked good saluting at Caulfield on debut before just running into one better in the rich 2YO Classic last time out. Genuine top-three candidate. GRAFTERBURNERS (1) will strip fitter second-up from the spell and is usually thereabouts. In the mix on best form. BESKAR (13) is drawn to get a cosy run in transit from gate two and a strong showing would not shock.
RACE 6 - The $300,000 Group 3 Fred Best Classic. The well-related ANGEL CAPITAL (2) (half to G2 winner Berkeley Square) resumes here in his first run for the Waller barn but is yet to taste defeat in three first-up attempts and has tuned up for this with two recent trials. Goes well for jockey Melham who has three wins from just four steers and looks to have plenty of upside. Should be right there when the judge calls a halt. JUST PARTY (3) returned in good order with a close-up second in the Hawkesbury Guineas and will have come on with that run now under the belt. Can improve enough to take this out. RAIKKONEN (10) has won three of five overall and hails from a yard that has been on fire of late. Keep very safe. STAY FOCUSED (6) has put back-to-back wins together and only needs some luck from the wide draw to feature again. MEDIA WORLD (4) best of the rest from the Snowden camp.
RACE 7 - The $1 million Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup. JOLIESTAR (10) made up a bunch of ground to narrowly miss in the All Aged last time out and has since been given a bit of a freshen up to drop back slightly in trip here. Had a very easy trial in preparation for this and can make her presence felt against this line-up. GIGA KICK (1) was a touch disappointing on face value in the Goodwood but will have taken a lot of benefit from that hit-out and there's no doubting his class. Can return to winning form. BENEDETTA (12) has been just behind the placegetters in elite level of late and has won two from three over this distance range. Genuine top-three aspirations. The well-related BOSUSTOW (13) (half to G1 winner Amelia's Jewel) couldn't have been more impressive when resuming and has earned his shot at this company now. Keep safe from the low draw.
RACE 8 - The $1 million Group 1 Queensland Derby. STATUARIO (3) gave a big sight but just got run down late in the SA Derby last time out. Goes well for Allen who is yet to miss a drum in three rides and maps perfectly from gate five. Will be rock-hard fit for this and can go one better to bring up the Group 1. KING OF THUNDER (4) hit the frame in the Rough Habit at the latest effort and will be better for that hit-out. Must be respected from the O'Shea/Charlton barn. FEMMINILE (16) was super impressive saluting in the SA Derby last start and will have derived a stack of confidence from that breakthrough victory. Don't dismiss lightly. The well-related LAVALIER (6) (half to 3xG1 winner Helmet and 2xG1 winner Epaulette) doesn't win out of turn but may trouble the judge with the right run.
RACE 9 - The $160,000 Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes. Former Victorian FLOOZIE (8) hasn't put a hoof wrong since joining the new stable stringing three wins together on the bounce and it's hard to knock mares in form. Jones has been in the irons for all three victories and stays on board here. Can continue the picket fence. KIN (7) has hit the frame in both runs this campaign and looks to be building up to another win. Rates a serious threat. COMRADE ROSA (6) is a four-time winner around this circuit and gets Williams on board from the low draw. Top-three commodity. TASHI (10) saves her best form for this six-furlong journey and is usually thereabouts. One for the multiples. COEUR VOLANTE (1) is a bit hit or miss but is more than capable enough on her day. Respect any market confidence.