Derby Day Tips – Flemington – Saturday 31 October, 2015
It’s every racing purists favourite race day on the calendar VRC Derby Day at Flemington! There are a grand total of 9 events on the first Saturday of the Melbourne Cup carnival annually, of which no less are run at Group 1 level. To support the four races at the elite level are 3x Group 3 level races & 2x Group 2 events. It’s a racing extravaganza!!!
The 4 group 1 races run on the card are;
- $1,500,000 AAMI Victoria Derby (3 year olds – 2500m)
- $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (3 year olds – 1200m)
- $1,000,000 Longines Mackinnon Stakes (Open WFA – 2000m)
- $500,000 Myer Classic (Fillies & Mares 3yo+ SW – 1600m)
Derby Day is also the very last opportunity for horses to qualify for the 2015 Melbourne Cup, with two passages through to the great race on offer. The traditional route is through the Mackinnon Stakes with the winner of the 2000m affair guaranteed a start in the following Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. However this is option, despite producing countless Melbourne Cup winners, is seldom used in 2015. The other option to get into the final field of 24 for the Melbourne Cup is the Lexus Stakes. It is often viewed as the “very last chance” to gain a start in the great race, with the winner exempt from ballot & therefore guaranteed a Cup berth. It is hotly contested each year as usually all runners in the Lexus Stakes are looking for that 1 exemption into the Melbourne Cup, with their current rank in the Melbourne Cup ‘order of entry’ not good enough to see them gain a start in the Cup.
Here are this year’s Derby Day tips;
RACE 1 – $200,000 Group 3 – Carbine Club Stakes
2015 Tip: #3 BASSETT
RACE 2 – $300,000 Group 2 – Wakeful Stakes:
2015 Tip: #1 MY POPPETTE
RACE 3 – $200,000 Group 3 – Guerva Stakes
2015 Tip: #3 DISPOSITION
RACE 4 – $500,000 Group 1 – Coolmore Stud Stakes
2015 Tip: #1 EXOSPHERE
RACE 5 – $300,000 Group 3 – Lexus Stakes
2015 Tip: #6 HAVANA COOLER
RACE 6 – $1,000,000 Group 1 – Mackinnon Stakes
2015 Tip: #9 MAGIC HURRICANE
RACE 7 – $1,500,000 Group 1 – VRC Derby
2015 Tip: #2 SHARDS
RACE 8 – $500,000 Group 1 – Myer Classic
2015 Tip: #1 ROYAL DESCENT
RACE 9 – $300,000 Group 2 – TAB.COM.AU Stakes
2015 Tip: #6 DELECTATION
BEST BET: RACE 9 – 6 DELECTATION
