Champions Stakes: Group 1 gun to be too strong again

The Punters Inside Run team were united with Militarize in the Champagne Stakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng-Getty Images Quality colt Militarize is set to start a short priced favourite in Saturday's $600000 Group 1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick and the Punters Inside Run guys reckon it should be an easy watch. Matt Campbell, Mick Sharkie and Alex Donnelly…

Three-year-old colt Virtuous Circle is worth keeping safe in Saturday's Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m), according to Punters Inside Run form analyst James Lamb. The lightly-raced son of Almanzor is a $23 chance with Betr in a market headed up by Godolphin veteran Cascadian. Both Lamb and host Matt Campbell believe Cascadian is the horse to beat in…

I'm Thunderstruck's trainers will hold the line with the exciting galloper despite his latest defeat in Saturday's Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Sandown. Many punters would have dropped off I'm Thunderstruck after his third to Alligator Blood in the Futurity Stakes when supported from $3.10 to $2.90 in betting. I'm Thunderstruck also missed a place as…

Form analysts are looking for value outside star sprinter Nature Strip in Saturday's $1million Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes. The eight-year-old gelding is lining up for his fourth successive crack at the 1000m weight-for-age event down the Flemington straight, having finished fourth, first and second in the past three years. Nature Strip…

Anamoe's odds-on price to win first-up "looks a gift" if the equine "weapon" returns to racing in his sizzling form of last spring, according to a leading form analyst. The James Cummings-trained stallion is a $1.75 favourite with Betr for the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday, having not raced since Flemington's Champions Day…

A pair of Group 2 races - the Expressway Stakes and the Australia Stakes - headline Australian racing on Saturday and the Punters Inside Run team have crunched the form and come up with their betting plays. Host Matt Campbell is keen on Godolphin galloper Golden Mile to return a winner in the Rosehill feature, while Mick Sharkie is tipping Pizarro…

Glen Boss winning the 2005 Cox Plate on champion Makybe Diva. Racing Victoria is set to break with 100 years of tradition and move the Cox Plate with the showpiece now slated to be run two weeks after the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The Herald Sun understands the radical shift would see Australia's best race become a spring carnival grand final for the…

It looks a wide-open Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m) on paper and the Punters Inside Run form analysts have all settled on a different top pick for the Flemington feature. Panellist Mick Sharkie believes last year's Standish winner Halvorsen is poised to repeat the dose and add a sixth Flemington victory to his CV. "He generally goes around at…

Trainer Mick Price expects Ayrton to run well on a dry track at Rosehill. Picture: Getty Images Ayrton has to show he can stay the trip and I'm Thunderstruck will struggle to beat his nemesis Anamoe. This was trainer Mick Price's no-nonsense summation of his stable's feature race chances at Rosehill Gardens and Flemington on Saturday. Price, who…

The Might And Power Stakes promised to be one of the races of the year and it didn't disappoint with Anamoe scoring a narrow but decisive victory while the'blue army' was dominant in landing three races including two Group 1s. It was certainly a task to sift through so many good performances in landing on five to follow but there were also plenty…

The Might And Power Stakes over 2000m oozes quality this year and will be one of the most anticipated races on the card at Caulfield on Saturday. It is a great lead-up race for the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate later in the spring, with the majority of this field having aspirations to go on to both of those races. There is very little separating the…

The New Corp Racing and Sports Wagering team have put together an expert panel to give you, the audience the early inside running on feature races in Melbourne and Sydney this spring. The panel of five will be offering their early thoughts on all of the Group 1 races and other feature contests during the spring, through until the end of the…

I'm Thunderstruck is showing signs of his toughness as he gears up for the Cox Plate I'm Thunderstruck is ticking all the boxes for his trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr as he progresses towards his spring goal of the Cox Plate. Next step on that journey is the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Sandown on Sunday as the New Zealand-bred…

The News Corp racing and sports wagering team has put together an expert panel to give you, the audience the early inside running on feature races in Melbourne and Sydney this spring. The panel of five will be offering their early thoughts on all of the Group 1 races and other feature contests during the spring, through until the end of the…

I'm Thunderstruck (left) catches Alligator Blood on the winning post in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. Picture: Reg Ryan-Racing Photos via Getty Images Alligator blood is a poker term to describe a player who plays fearlessly against the odds and wins. The horse of the same name, multiple Group 1 winner Alligator Blood, has all the…

The News Corp racing and sports wagering team has put together an expert panel to give you, the audience the early inside running on feature races in Melbourne and Sydney this spring. The panel of six will be offering their early thoughts on all of the Group 1 races and other feature contests during the spring, through until the end of the…

The New Corp Racing and Wagering team have put together an expert panel to give you, the audience the early inside running on feature races in Melbourne and Sydney this spring. The panel of six will be offering their early thoughts on all of the Group 1 races and other feature contests during the spring, through until the end of the Melbourne Cup…

Cox Plate winner Anamoe is favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au for the Champions Stakes (2000m) this afternoon at Flemington. The four year old had his crowning glory in the Cox Plate two weeks ago and looks primed for this assignment, which will be his first look at Headquarters. He sits at the top of betting at $2.15. I'm Thunderstruck, second in the…

Having originally considered taking I'm Thunderstruck back in trip after his Cox Plate placing, I'm Thunderstruck will attempt to register a first against Anamoe at Flemington. The pair has met on two occasions with Anamoe holding 2-0 lead, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are hoping to turn that around in the Group 1 Champions Stakes…

Cox Plate winner Anamoe dominates the Ladbrokes.com.au market for the final Group l of the Spring, the Champions Stakes (2000m) this Saturday at Flemington. The four year old is 4/4 this time in, all at Group l level, and looks primed to end the prep on a high this weekend. He opened $2.15 and is rock solid at $2.20. A couple of other runners from…

It's a massive final day of the Flemington carnival with Champions day - featuring a trio of Group Ones - and the Punters Inside Run panel are looking to finish with a bang. Host Matt Campbell and form expert Mick Sharkie are expecting Nature Strip to bounce back from his Everest defeat in the Champions Sprint on Saturday. "He's the big speed…

Welcome to Champions Day at Flemington, a new concept designed by the Victoria Racing Club as we continue to see the evolution of racing in Australia since the inception of the Everest. Not so long ago we had the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m at weight for age) run on Derby Day, the Emirates Stakes (1600m handicap) run as the feature on Stakes Day, which…