Betting tips for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Championships day from Randwick Racecourse
A $10million buy for Gai Waterhouse and a fan favourite leaving Aussie shores - day two of the Championships at Randwick Racecourse might just be the best raceday punters have had this year.
With four Group 1 races and three Group 2 races set to be held, fans will be treated to some incredible racing.
But it's the battle between two phenomenal thoroughbreds in Anamoe and Dubai Honour in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth that everyone is talking about.
Racing NSW form expert Nick Berney told Daily Mail Australia it was going to be an epic experience to be on-track when the two superstars turn for home - though the rest of the card will need to bring their A-game, and flippers, to deal with the sodden track.
'It's (G1 Queen Elizabeth) a fantastic race, I think there will be a fantastic roar when they turn for home,' he said.
'But it's going to be a very testing track, punters will want find those horses that can deal with the heavy going.'
Bet Right CEO Anthony Waller agreed, and said he was pumped to see punters keep on backing the fan favourite.
'The Queen Elizabeth Stakes is the race of the day by far. Anamoe has been Bet Right's Black Caviar - we keep giving our clients the best price in Australia and it keeps winning,' he said.
The other story line will be the sad farewell from Aussie shores of James Cummings' cult horse Anamoe, who will head to the UK next month after winning an incredible nine Group 1 races.
'I was always trained never to let sentiment get in the way of business,' Cummings told News Corp.
'But from time to time there are horses that get beneath the surface like Anamoe.
'Really, he has never run a bad race, this horse. You can only ever ask that of a winner and he has proved to be a winning machine this season.'
And boy, the level of intrigue does not stop - with the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott team unveiling $10million buy Alcohol Free as the headliner in the Group 1 Queen of the Turf.
But that's not all that will happen on an action-packed day of racing! Here's all the betting tips you need to know for the four huge Group 1 races on Saturday.
The Star Australian Oaks (2400m)
Race 6, 2.35pm: Group 1 for three-year-old fillies
The first of the Group 1 races is for the talented young ladies, and it is a wide-open race for punters, with Pavitra ($3.50) likely to start favourite ahead of last year's Golden Slipper winner, Fireburn ($6.00). It looks set to be quite a slowly run race, with the favourite no doubt one of the chances to lead - though whether she will make the 2400m trip is another question.
Berney said he has his eye on a couple at each-way odds that look to be well suited to the trip and conditions.
'I like the look of Pierossa. She's really improved each run this prep, and the Oaks will be her grand final. She's run terrific sectionals of late and her closing speed is very impressive,' he said.
'Premise is a horse that will definitely run out a strong 2400m. She has that key attribute where she can switch off, settle and then sprint to the post.
'She's got gate 6 so she'll settle in the first six runners and be perfectly placed in the run.'
Waller agreed that it was a very open race, and said there were some surprise runners garnering support from punters in the form of a Waterhouse-Bott runner and a filly trained out of Goulburn who had her odds slashed.
'There has been money for Soul Choice and Stormy Witness has been specked from $201 into $101,' he said.
EACH-WAY: Pierossa ($10win/$3.20place)
BOXED TRIFECTA: 6-10-2-4 ($50=208% dividend)
Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m)
Race 7, 3.15pm: Group 1 for three-year-old and upwards
Waller echoed the thoughts of many punters, saying it is a 'tough race and a distinct lack of bets shows how hard it is to find the winner' in the longest race the ATC runs, the time-honoured Sydney Cup.
It's over 160 years old, and features a number of previous Melbourne Cup runners, including last year's winner Gold Trip, with a decent speed expected in the 20-horse field.
Berney said there was a reason Irish training genius Joseph O'Brien's runner Cleveland was at the top of the market.
International raiders always dominate the Australian distance races given the proliferation of them in Europe, and despite an eye-catching, albeit disappointing run first-up in Australia last weekend; he is much better suited here.
'Cleveland profiles extremely well for this race. Imports often have that class edge when they get over 3200m (in Australia),' said Berney.
'In his first-up run in Australia, I really like how we built through his gears, and he is proven over as much as 3749m.
'Another big fact in his favour is he has dropped 8kg in this handicap off that run, and he gets onto the much bigger track of Randwick, which means barrier 17 isn't a big negative.'
Berney is also a fan of the 'value of High Emocean ($11) on the back-up', while it will be intriguing to see if King Frankel ($7), who is versatile enough to handle all surfaces, can continue a solid patch of form with star apprentice Ty Schiller, and just 50kg, on his back.
WIN: Cleveland ($4.20)
PLACE: High Emocean ($3.50)
Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m)
Race 8, 3.55pm: Group 1 for three-year-old and upwards
It's the race of the year: Anamoe ($2.70) vs Dubai Honour ($2.60)... and a few other more irrelevant horses. The pair have a commanding presence at the top of the market, with the third favourite, Cascadian, at $12.
Whether or not Anamoe is Australia's best racehorse is up for debate, but what isn't is the fact that every punter will be roaring as 'J-Mac' charges down the straight in that iconic Godolphin blue.
But while the heart says Anamoe, the head says Dubai Honour. The UK-trained gelding will eat up the heavy ground if the rain continues in Sydney, and Berney said despite the Aussie being a genuine superstar, the case for the import was too good.
'I really do see it as a match race, but if I had to pick between the two, I'm with the import Dubai Honour,' he said.
'His Group 1 Ranvet win was brilliant, and from a ratings perspective he is superior to every other horse in this race. Even with that, there's still every chance he can improve again.
'I have no knock on Anamoe, arguably Australia's greatest horse, but I think Dubai Honour will be fancied on raceday and start favourite.'
Unicorn Lion, trained by Japanese superstar Yoshito Yahagi, will catch the eye no doubt leading up the top, but a Hawkes galloper at big odds appeals to Berney.
'If you're looking for a roughie, Zeyrek's ($41) sectional times have been incredible, and he's come off two good wins at Rosehill recently. He has to now do it at weight-for-age, but think he can put himself in a good spot,' he said.
WIN: Dubai Honour ($2.60)
PLACE: Zeyrek ($6.75)
TRIFECTA: 2/1/8 - Standout trifect
Sydney Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m)
Race 9, 4.35pm: Group 1 for three-year-old and upwards fillies and mares
The last of the Group 1 races for the day sees Waterhouse's $10million mare Alcohol Free ($3.50) looking to earn her confident owners a return of their sizeable investment in the aptly-named (if she wins it, anyway) Queen of the Turf, run over 1600m.
She's a four-time Group 1 winner who has beaten Artorius and run third to absolute superstar Baaeed - which is about a good as a resume builder as you can hope.
The five-year-old will likely look to race on-speed, and with McDonald aboard, is a huge tick after a decent trial in the lead-up. Berney is confident that the Waterhouse-Bott team will have their star mare ready to deliver on that investment.
'$10million - they will be hoping it is ready to go!' he laughed respectfully, confident the in-form training pair have the former UK mare humming. 'She brings serious elite overseas form lines. Two starts ago, she won the Group 1 July Cup, beating Artorius - which is a brilliant form line.
'She's had another run since that, and run a good third to Baaeed, one of the best horses in the world, in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes.
'She gets the champion jockey, and is a serious race horse.'
Berney said he was also expecting a big run from the O'Brien-trained Statement ($41) at huge odds, that may well shorten.
'Statement had a run at Rosehill (In the Group 2 Emancipation), but nothing worked out,' he said.
'She missed the start and didn't travel on the dry track, but back to Randwick she will get into her rhythm.'
Waller said there had been some a couple of others specked at juicy odds too, and certainly didn't write off the second favourite, either.
'There has been money for both Hinged ($19-$17) and Statement ($41-$34) for the Queen of the Turf already. There's no reason to dismiss Fangirl, tries really hard but runs into superstars all the time,' he said.
WIN: Alcohol Free ($3.50)
PLACE: Statement ($7.50)
QUINELLA: 1/10 ($10=1000% of dividend)
Gates will fly back on the first race at 11.40am, with the last to be run at 5.10pm before a Hot Dub Time Machine concert will really take the punters to the next level.
All fixed-odds prices correct as of 4pm, Thursday at betright.com.au.
