Saturday Racing Tips Flemington 16/09/23

The spring Saturdays continue to ramp up, and Flemington has an excellent card which contains a Group 1, two Group 2 and four Listed contests across the ten races. Some of the stars of the 2023 spring season are in action again, and although the feature race only has a field of seven, it is a classy contest that should be a treat for fans.

Playup is our choice of the betting sites this week for our bets on the card. We have a Best Bet, a Next Best and a Rougie of the Day, our multi, an exotic tip, and our jockey of the day, so keep reading.

(Note: Odds provided by PlayUp)

Best of the Day	Flemington Race 7 #1 Mr Brightside	Win: $1.90 Bet Now	Place: $1.30 Bet Now
Next Best	Flemington Race 5 #15 Legacies	Win: $2.05 Bet Now	Place: $1.28 Bet Now
Roughie of the Day	Flemington Race 8 #6 Wrote To Arataki	Win: $10.00 Bet Now	Place: $2.60 Bet Now

Flemington Race 5 - Exford Plate Listed (1400m)

Selections:
#15 Legacies (NEXT BEST) - $2.05
#8 Griff - $8.50
#16 Nodachi - $14.00
#7 Mojave Desert - $10.00

BEST BET - #15 Legacies
Legacies found the line strongly in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes over 1200m first up. She had a couple of today’s rivals well beaten on that occasion and looks well set for the return to 1400m. Already a Listed winner over this distance in April, she has only had three runs. That suggests that there is still a lot of improvement from her. The form in the book already makes her the red-hot favourite to take this out, and any improvement could lead to something special.

THE DANGER - #8 Griff
Beaten less than two lengths in the Up & Coming Stakes at Rosehill Gardens last time out, that race looks like it will prove to be strong form. That strength of competition looks good for this level, now trying 1400m for the first time. He has shown an excellent attitude to the line in his five outings, given some challenging tasks with only a Warwick Farm maiden win to his credit. Despite that, the quality he has taken on gives him a solid chance in this lineup.

VALUE BET - #16 Nodachi
Her comeback race at The Valley could hardly have worked out worse. Slow from the barriers, she had just one behind her in the early stages of a race run off steady early fractions. On the inside turning in, she was almost put through the rails 200m out before striding to the line when a gap finally opened. A more galloping track on this step up to 1400m looks a big plus for her, and she was less than a length and a half behind Legacies when they met in April. She has a kilo swing in the weights here, so she looks like a lively roughie.

Flemington Race 7 - Makybe Diva Stakes Group 1 (1600m)

Selections:
#1 Mr Brightside (BEST BET)- $1.90
#7 Princess Grace - $4.40
#2 Alligator Blood - $4.00
#6 Osipenko - $11.00

BEST BET - #1 Mr Brightside
Better than ever at the age of six, already adding the Lawrence Stakes and the Memsie Stakes to his trophy cabinet this spring. He got no cover from a wide barrier in the second of those, trapped outside of horses the entire way round the turn at Caulfield, but still found plenty under the drive to see off a strong field. This maps out a little differently with only seven runners, but he won the Doncaster Mile on heavy 9 in the autumn, so his stamina for the distance is assured.

THE DANGER - #7 Princess Grace
Wonderfully consistent mare boasts a great attitude towards racing. She has run huge in both her 1400m starts so far this prep, finishing second in both, most recently to Mr Brightside. The 1600m is perfect for her, and she was held up briefly in her run early in the straight in the Memsie Stakes but had enjoyed a better path in the early stages than the horse who beat her. Placed in all five starts at Group 1 level, so it is hard to knock her talent. She can add to that record here without getting her head in front again.

VALUE BET - #2 Alligator Blood
A close second in this race last year, he has raced eight times since then, meeting Mr Brightside in all eight. They have split those decisions 4-4 regarding who has finished in front, but Mr Brightside leads 3-1 in their races so far in 2023. As mentioned, it does look like that old rival is better than ever this prep, making it hard for this lad to reverse the form. That said, he could get a softer time on the speed in the smaller field, which should see him run his usual gallant race.

Flemington Race 8 - Let’s Elope Stakes Group 2 (1400m)

Selections:
#1 Amelia’s Jewel - $1.75
#6 Wrote To Arataki (ROUGHIE OF THE DAY) - $10.00
#4 Caste - $12.00
#5 Foxy Frida - $11.00

BEST BET - #1 Amelia’s Jewel
The winner of seven of her nine career starts, she has only ever run at Ascot, leaving Western Australia for Victoria to take on a new challenge. She last raced in April when suffering only her second defeat. She flew home from a long way back only to just miss out at the line. Overpass was the horse to beat her, that one following home Giga Kick next time up in a Group 1 at Doomben, the only time he has been seen since. The third was Bella Nipotina, who also has plenty of form at Group 1 to her credit. That shows how strong her form level is - unsurprisingly, she is short in the betting here.

THE DANGER - #6 Wrote To Arataki
Wrote To Arataki had a strong run first up at Caulfield when chasing home Benedetta and Parisal in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes. She hit the line strongly over 1200m that day and will be well suited to the step back up to 1400m, a distance that has seen all her best runs. It would take a massive effort to beat the favourite on all known form, but she has the fitness edge and is a solid enough performer in her own right. She should make the favourite fight all the way to the line.

VALUE BET - #4 Caste
Caste was last seen in May but is 2/2 first up so far in her career, so that should not be an issue for all that, as this is much deeper company for her return than either of the other two. She signed off with a Group 2 win in her last prep over 1600m on much softer ground than she will face here. Good ground is no issue for her, but she will have to be right on it against speedy rivals on this drop in distance to start the spring.

Playup is our top bookmaker for our horse racing tips this week. They regularly provide some of the top fixed odds prices on the open market across all meetings. Odds are provided for almost all Australian horse racing, with many racing promotions for you to enjoy when you have signed up for them. Although they are one of the newer Australian bookmakers, they have quickly gained a great reputation by offering an excellent betting experience. Their slick and well-designed website makes them a great place to bet on our Australian horse racing tips.

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